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THE 


DEPARTMENT  OF  COMMERCE 


JULY  1,  1913 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1013 


THE 


DEPARTMENT  OF  COMMERCE 


JULY  1,  1913 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1913 


CONTENTS. 


Origin  and  organization  of  the  Department 

Origin 

Organization 

Duties  assigned  to  Office  of  the  Secretary 

Secretary  of  Commerce 

Assistant  Secretary 

Solicitor 

Chief  Clerk 

Disbursing  Clerk 

Appointment  Division 

Division  of  Publications 

Division  of  Supplies 

Bureau  of  the  Census 

Decennial  census  of  population 

Decennial  census  of  agriculture 

Census  of  manufactures 

Annual  inquiries 

United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey 

Field  work 

Office  work 

Bureau  of  Corporations 

Bureau  of  Fisheries 

Division  of  Administration 

Division  of  Fish  Culture 

Division  of  Inquiry  Respecting  Food  Fishes 

Division  of  Statistics  and  Methods  of  the  Fisheries 

Division  of  Alaska  I  isheries 

Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce 

History 

Bureau  of  Manufactures 

Bureau  of  Statistics 

Bureau  of  Foreign  Commerce  in  the  State  Department. 

Work  of  the  Bureau 

Consular  re{)orts 

Commercial  agents 

Foreign  tariffs 

Commercial  statistics 

Specific  opportunities  to  extend  trade 

Domestic  trade  development 

Bureau  of  Lighthouses 

Bureau  of  Navigation 

Bureau  of  Standards 

Steamboat-Inspection  Service 

2  CAT.  FOi^ 

DOC.  DEPT. 


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THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  COMMERCE. 


DEPT. 


ORIGIN  AND  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT. 

ORIGIN. 

The  preamble  to  the  Constitution  lays  down  broadly  two  great 
aims  of  government — (1)  the  defense  of  the  life,  liberty,  and  property 
of  the  citizen,  and  (2)  the  promotion  of  his  general  welfare. 

In  the  year  following  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution,  three  of  the 
executive  branches  of  Government,  with  Secretaries,  were  estab- 
lished: First,  the  Department  of  Foreign  Affairs,  by  act  approved 
July  27,  1789  (name  changed  to  Department  of  State  by  act  ap- 
proved September  15,  of  the  same  year) ;  second,  the  War  Depart- 
ment, created  by  the  act  of  August  7,  1789  (then  embracing  naval 
affairs);  and  third,  the  Treasury  Department,  established  by  act  of 
September  2,  1789.  Until  the  Department  of  Commerce  (and  Labor) 
was  organized,  in  1903,  the  Treasury  Department  was  the  principal 
agency  of  government  through  which  a  limited  supervision  of  the  com- 
mercial and  industrial  life  of  the  nation  was  administered,  and  the 
designation  sought  to  be  given  its  chief  officer  in  the  constitutional 
convention  was  that  of  "Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Finance."  ^ 

The  record  of  events  from  the  close  of  the  Revolution  to  the  con- 
stitutional convention  at  Philadelphia  in  1787  shows  that  the  desire 
to  foster  the  commerce  and  trade  of  the  States  was  the  paramount 
and  controlling  argument  which  made  the  Union  possible. 

The  constitutional  convention  of  the  thirteen  States  was  the  direct 
outcome  of  the  Annapolis  convention  of  five  States,  and  this  conven- 
tion, in  turn,  was  born  of  the  Mount  Vernon  convention  of  delegates 
from  the  States  of  Virgmia  and  Maryland,  assembled  to  adjust  and 
promote  commerce  and  trade  between  those  two  States.  The  com- 
missioners from  Virginia  and  Maryland  met  at  Alexandria,  in  the 
former  State,  in  the  spring  of  1785,  but  General  Washington  extended 
to  them  the  hospitality  of  his  home,  which  they  accepted,  and  the 
delegates — all  prominent  men  of  then-  day,  and  friends  of  Washing- 
ton— conducted  their  deliberations  at  Mount  Vernon,  aided,  no 
doubt,  by  the  counsel  of  their  host,  whose  interest  m  and  knowledge 
of  the  subject  under  discussion  had  long  been  manifest,  and  who,  two 
years  later,  presided  at  the  constitutional  convention  at  Philadelphia. 
The  sole  subject  of  this  mectmg  at  the  home  of  Washington  was  the 

I  Documentary  History  of  the  Constitution. 

3 


4  DEPARTMENT    OF    COMMERCE. 

commerce  and  trade  between  the  two  States ;  but  in  reality  these  men 
were  enacting  the  prologue  to  what  was  to  be  in  fact  an  indissoluble 
Union. 

The  Mount  Vernon  convention  recommended  that  representatives 
be  appomted  annually  to  confer  on  the  commercial  and  trade  rela- 
tions of  the  States.  In  considering  this  report,  Maryland  passed  a 
resolution  inviting  Pennsylvania  and  Delaware  to  join  in  these  annual 
conventions;  while  in  the  A'u'ginia  assembly,  Madison  penned  a  reso- 
lution appointing  commissioners  to  meet  such  as  should  be  delegated 
by  the  other  States  "to  take  into  consideration  the  trade  of  the  United 
States,"  and  "to  consider  how  far  a  uniform  system  in  theii-  com- 
mercial regulations  may  be  necessary  to  their  common  interest  and 
permanent  harmony."  ^ 

The  immediate  result  of  the  conference  on  trade  and  commerce  held 
at  Mount  Vernon  was  that  m  the  following  year,  1786,  commissioners 
from  five  of  the  thirteen  States  assembled  by  appointment  at  Annap- 
olis "to  take  mto  considef'ation  the  trade  and  commerce  of  the 
United  States."  In  this  convention,  Hamilton  drew  up  an  address, 
which  Madison  and  Randolph  signed  with  him,  recommending  a 
general  meeting  of  the  States  m  a  future  convention,  and  an  extension 
of  the  powers  of  their  delegates  to  other  objects  than  those  of  com- 
merce, as  in  the  course  of  their  reflections  on  the  subject  they  had 
been  "mduccd  to  think  that  the  power  to  regulate  Trade  is  of  such 
comprehensive  extent  and  will  enter  so  far  mto  the  General  System 
of  the  Foedcral  Government,  that  to  give  it  eflicacy,  and  to  obviate 
questions  and  doubts  concernmg  its  precise  nature  and  Ihnits,  may 
require  a  correspondent  adjustment  of  other  Parts  of  the  Foedcral 
System."  2 

In  the  constitutional  convention,  August  20,  1787,  Mr.  Gouverneur 
Morris,  seconded  by  Mr.  Pmckney,  submitted  a  proposal  that  there 
should  be  a  council  of  state  to  ' '  assist  the  President  hi  coiiductmg  the 
public  affairs,"  the  third  member  of  this  council  to  be  a  "Secretar}^  of 
Commerce  and  Fmance,"  whose  duties  were,  m  part,  to  "recommend 
such  things  as  may  in  his  judgment  promote  the  commercial  mterests 
of  the  United  States."  This  ])lan  also  provided  for  a  Secretary  of 
Domestic  Affairs  to  have  supervision  of  agriculture,  manufactures, 
roads,  and  navigation.^  The  Constitution,  as  a(h)pted,  makes  no 
provision  for  a  cabinet  or  council  of  state,  but  President  Washington 
unmediately  mvited  the  Secretaries  of  the  three  departments  first 
mentioned,  and  the  Attorney  General,  appomted  under  the  act  of 
September  24,  1789,  to  become  members  of  his  official  family.  The 
Department  of  Justice  was  established  by  the  act  approved  June  22, 
1870. 

1  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  llislory  and  Biography. 
» Documentary  History  of  the  Constitution. 


ORIGIN   AND   ORGANIZATION.  5 

During  the  period  between  the  close  of  the  Federal  convention  and 
the  ratification  of  the  Constitution,  Alexander  Hamilton,  writing  on 
the  subject  of  commerce,  said: 

The  importance  of  the  Union,  iu  a  commercial  light,  is  one  of  those  points  about 
which  there  is  least  room  to  entertain  a  difference  of  opinion,  and  which  has,  in  fact, 
commanded  the  most  general  assent  of  men  who  have  any  acquaintance  with  the 
subject.  This  applies  as  well  to  our  intercourse  with  foreign  countries  as  with  each 
other.  ^ 

In  1788,  the  same  year  in  which  the  above  was  written  by  Hamilton, 
Commodore  John  Paul  Jones,  in  a  letter  to  the  Marquise  de  Lafayette 
concerning  the  Constitution,  stated : 

Had  I  the  power  I  would  create  at  least  seven  ministries  in  the  primary  organization 
of  government  under  the  Constitution.  In  addition  to  the  four  already  agreed  upon, 
I  would  ordain  a  Ministry  of  Marine,  a  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs,  and  a  General  Poet 
Office;  and,  as  commerce  must  be  our  great  reliance,  it  would  not  be  amiss  to  create 
also  as  the  eighth  a  Ministry  of  Commerce.^ 

The  remarkable  foresight  of  the  great  commodore  enabled  him  to 
name  the  Cabinet  very  much  as  it  is  to-day,  practically  in  the  order 
in  which  it  grew,  agriculture  being  included  by  liim  in  the  Interior 
(Home)  Department,  where  it  actually  was  for  a  time.  The  labor 
interests,  however,  which  have  grown  rapidly  in  importance  in  recent 
decades,  are  now  also  provided  for  in  a  separate  department. 

Wlien  the  Constitution  had  been  ratified  by  eleven  States,  and  the 
Congress,  under  its  authority  to  "regulate  commerce  witli  foreign 
nations  and  among  the  several  States,"  proceeded  solemnly  to  treat 
the  commerce  and  manufactures  of  the  two  remaining  States  in  the 
same  manner  as  those  of  any  foreign  country,  it  was  from  a  sense  of 
their  commercial  interests  that  they  hastened  to  emboli  themselves 
with  their  sister  Commonwealths,  although  one  of  these  two  States 
had  not  even  participated  in  the  convention. 

Thus,  not  only  were  the  commercial  and  industrial  interests  of  the 
States  an  important  and  controlling  influence  in  bringing  them  into 
the  Federal  convention,  but  a  realization  of  the  commercial  advan- 
tages of  the  Union  induced  the  States  to  ratify  the  C^onstitution. 

In  his  first  annual  address  to  Congress,  President  Wasliington  said : 

The  advancement  of  agriculture,  commerce,  and  manufactures  by  all  proper  means 
will  not,  I  trust,  need  recommendation. 

The  first  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Alexander  Hamilton,  gave 
special  consideration  to  the  commerce  and  industries  of  the  country, 
and  his  special  reports  on  these  subjects,  in  which  he  recommended 
that  a  board  be  estabUshed  for  promoting  arts,  agriculture,  manu- 
factures, and  commerce,  demonstrate  that  he  considered  tliis  function 
of  the  Treasury  Department  one  of  primary  importance. 

1  Federalist.  »  Original  manuscript  in  archives  of  Congressional  I^ibrary. 


6  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

Hastened  by  impending  war  with  Franco,  the  act  of  April  30,  1798, 
was  passed,  estabhshing  the  Navy  Department,  and  its  Secretary 
became  the  fifth  member  of  the  Cabinet.  In  1829  the  Postmaster 
General  entered  the  Cabinet  for  the  first  time,  on  the  invitation  of 
President  Jackson,  though  this  office  had  been  in  existence  since  the 
act  of  September  22,  1789.  The  General  Post  Office  was  constituted 
the  Post  Oifice  Department  by  the  act  approved  June  8,  1872. 

The  discussions  in  the  early  Congresses  looking  toward  the  estab- 
lishment of  another  executive  department  centered  around  what  was 
termed  a  "Home  Department,"  and  the  then  important  work  of  gov- 
ernment in  connection  with  land  and  Indian  affairs  f oraied  the  nucleus 
from  which  was  established,  under  the  act  of  ]\Iarch  3,  1849,  the 
Department  of  the  Interior,  whose  Secretary  became  the  seventh 
Cabinet  member.  As  the  business  interests  of  the  country  entered 
largely  into  the  provisions  of  the  various  measures  anticipating  the 
Interior  Department,  it  may  be  well  to  notice  some  of  these  reports. 

In  a  bill  to  establish  a  Home  Department,  introduced  by  Repre- 
sentative Vining,  of  Delaware,  in  the  First  Congress,  July  23,  1789, 
the  duties  of  the  proposed  department  were,  in  part,  "to  report  to  the 
President  plans  for  the  protection  and  improvement  of  manufactures, 
agriculture,  and  commerce."  The  outcome  of  this  movement  was  tlio 
change  in  name  of  Department  of  Foreign  Affairs  to  Department  of 
State,  above  noted,  and  the  giving  of  duties  to  the  State  Department 
not  comportable  with  the  original  name. 

President  Madison's  message  of  December  3,  1816,  recommended 
the  establishment  of  "an  additional  department  in  the  executive 
branch  ol  the  Government";  and  the  Senate  committee  to  which  this 
recommendation  was  referred  reported  a  bill  to  establish  a  Home 
Department  to  have  charge  of  such  subjects  as  the  President  might 
direct.  In  1825  the  subject  was  again  revived,  and  Representative 
Newton  offered  a  resolution  that  a  department  to  be  denominated  "  the 
Home  Department  should  be  established  for  the  purpose  of  superin- 
tending whatever  may  relate  to  the  interests  of  agriculture  and  manu- 
factures, the  promotion  of  the  progress  of  science  and  the  arts,  the 
intercourse  and  trade  between  the  several  States  by  roads  and  canals." 
This  resolution  was  not  agreed  to. 

In  his  message  of  December  6,  1825,  President  John  Quincy  Adams 
recommended  a  reorganization  of  the  executive  departments,  and  the 
committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  to  which  this  matter  was 
referred,  by  its  chairman,  Daniel  Webster,  reported  a  bill  to  establish 
a  new  department.  The  report  stated  that  "at  the  organization  of 
the  Government  it  appears  to  have  been  the  original  design,  in  regard 
to  the  executive  departments,  that  there  should  bo  a  distinct  and 
separate  department  for  such  internal  or  domestic  affairs  as  appertain 
to  the  General  Government." 


ORIGIN  AND  Organization.  7 

On  December  15,  1836,  the  resolution  of  Mr.  Benton,  of  Missouri, 
that  'Hhe  annual  statement  of  the  commerce  and  navigation  of  the 
United  States  be  hereafter  printed  under  the  direction  of  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  and  be  communicated  in  printed  form  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible after  the  commencing  of  each  stated  session  of  Congress,"  was 
adopted  by  the  Senate. 

Notwithstanding  the  discussions  leading  up  to  the  establishment  of 
the  Department  of  the  Interior,  very  few  of  the  commercial  and 
industrial  agencies  of  Government  were  put  under  the  control  of  that 
department,  most  of  them  remaining  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

The  movement  for  the  creation  of  an  additional  executive  depart- 
ment, following  the  establishment  of  the  Interior  Department,  took 
many  and  varied  phases.  The  names  proposed  in  the  different  bills 
to  establish  a  new  department  indicate  their  provisions.  These  names 
included  the  following  titles,  grouped  together  in  various  ways:  Agri- 
culture, Commerce,  Labor,  Industries,  Manufactures,  Patents,  Min- 
ing, Navigation,  Transportation,   and  Mechanics. 

The  first  industries  of  the  country  to  be  accorded  an  executive 
department  b}-  the  Congress  were  those  of  agriculture,  when  the  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  established  by  act  of  May  15,  1862,  was  con- 
stituted an  executive  department,  with  a  Secretary  of  Agriculture 
(eighth  member  of  the  Cabinet),  by  the  act  of  February  9,  1889.  The 
commercial  and  manufacturing  interests  of  the  country,  as  far  as 
governmental  supervision  and  cooperation  were  concerned,  were  left 
to  offices  distributed  among  the  several  departments.  The  business 
of  government  increased  in  volume  as  the  country  grew  in  age,  and 
during  the  last  half  of  the  nineteenth  century  the  work  of  the  fisciil 
branch  of  the  Treasury  so  absorbed  the  attention  of  the  head  of  that 
department  that  his  supervision  of  commercial  matters  had  lost  the 
importance  it  had  enjoyed  under  the  first  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

Commercial  conventions  at  Detroit  in  1865,  and  at  Boston  in  1868, 
and  the  National  Board  of  Trade  in  1874,  memorialized  the  Congress 
for  the  establishment  of  a  Department  of  Commerce,  in  order  that  the 
rapidly  increasing  volume  of  capital  invested  in  commerce  and  manu- 
factures might  be  the  subject  of  governmental  aid  and  supervision. 
Many  similar  petitions  were  later  presented  to  the  Congress,  and  the 
subject  was  referred  to  in  several  poUtical  platforms  and  annual  mes- 
sages of  the  President.  These  petitions,  and  the  representatives  of 
commercial  organizations  before  the  committees  of  Congress,  stated 
that  the  United  States  was  a  distinctly  commercial  and  industrial 
nation;  that  the  Twelfth  Census  showed  the  aggregate  value  of  the 
products  of  the  manufacturing  establishments  of  the  United  States, 
during  the  census  year  ended  June  1,  1900,  to  exceed  thirteen  billion 
dollars,  which  is  probably  neai-ly  four  times  the  aggregate  value  of 


8  DEPARTMENT    OF   COMMERCE. 

all  the  products  of  agriculture  during  the  same  3'ear;  that  the  same  «j|| 

arguments  advanced  for  the  creation  of  the  Department  of  Agricul-  "| 

ture  were  applicable  to  one  for  the  commercial  and  industrial  life  of 
the  country;  that  the  manufacturing  interests  in  the  United  States 
exceeded  in  volume  and  importance  the  industrial  interests  of  any 
nation  in  the  world,  and  yd  there  was  no  Government  office  specialty 
charged  with  any  duties  relating  directly  to  them,  and  that  in  this 
respect  the  United  States  was  almost  alone  among  the  nations  of  the 
world;  that  agriculture,  labor,  transportation,  mining,  fisheries,  and 
forestry  all  had  distinct  recognition  in  one  form  or  another,  but  not 
so  with  the  manufacturing  interests. 

The  country's  need  for  a  Department  of  Commerce,  which  had 
become  national  in  scope  in  1874,  was  forced  to  give  way  temporarily 
in  order  that  all  the  energy  of  the  commerce  committees  of  Congress 
might  be  centered  upon  the  eradication  of  the  transportation  evil  of 
rebates.  This  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  the  Interstate  Com- 
merce Commission  in  1887. 

The  movement  for  the  establishment  of  the  Department  gathered 
headway,  however,  and  in  the  Fifty-seventh  Congress  legislation  pro- 
viding for  its  organization  was  enacted.  The  legislative  history  of 
the  act  creating  the  Department  appears  in  the  Congressional  Record 
for  that  Congress,  and,  while  interesting,  is  too  extended  for  more 
than  the  briefest  outline  here. 

On  December  4,  1901,  Senator  Nelson  introduced  in  the  Senate  a 
bill  (S.  569)  "To  establish  the  Department  of  Commerce,"  which  was 
read  twice  and  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Commerce ;  on  January 
9,  1902,  the  bill  was  reported  with  certain  amendments  (S.  Rept. 
No.  82,  57th  Cong.,  1st  sess.).  The  discussion  on  the  bill  began  in 
the  Senate  on  January  13,  was  continued  on  January  16,  20,  22,  23, 
27,  and  28,  and  the  bill  passed  the  Senate  with  a  number  of  amend- 
ments, including  one  changing  the  name  to  "Department  of  Commerce 
and  Labor,"  on  the  last-named  date. 

The  act  was  received  in  the  House  and  referred  to  the  Committee 
on  Interstate  and  Foreign  Commerce  on  January  30,  1902.  On  Janu- 
ary 6,  1903,  the  committee  submitted  a  report  (H.  Rept.  No.  2970, 
57th  Cong.,  2d  sess.)  recommending  that  the  bill  of  the  Senate  (S.  569) 
be  amended  by  strildng  out  all  after  the  enacting  clause  and  substi- 
tuting in  lieu  thereof  an  entirely  new  bill.  The  House  biU,  however, 
embraced  most  of  the  features  contained  in  the  Senate  bill,  the  main 
contention  being  as  to  what  bureaus  should  be  embraced  in  the  new 
Department. 

On  January  15,  1903,  the  bill  was  taken  up  under  a  special  con- 
tinuing order  to  be  considered  untU  finally  disposed  of  in  Committee 
of  the  Whole  House  on  the  state  of  the  Union.  On  January  17  the 
debate  was  concluded  in  the  House  and  the  bill  was  passed. 


ORIGIN    AND   OEGANIZATION.  9 

The  l)ill  was  in  due  course  sent  to  a  committee  of  conference.  (For 
Senate  proceedings  see  Congressional  Record  of  January  19  and  29, 
and  February  10  and  11,  1903,  and  for  House  proceedings  see  Record 
of  January  29  and  February  9  and  10,  190-3.)  The  conference  report 
was  agreed  to  in  the  House  on  February  10  and  in  the  Senate  on 
February  11,  and  the  bill  was  signed  by  the  President  on  February 
14,  1903. 

Thus  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor  became  the  ninth 
member  of  the  President's  Cabmet. 

The  labor  interests  first  received  recognition  in  the  establishment 
of  the  Bureau  of  Labor  under  the  act  of  Congress  approved  June  27, 
1S84;  tliis  Bureau  was  constituted  the  Department  of  Labor,  and  the 
Commissioner  of  Labor  was  continued  in  charge,  by  the  act  of  Con- 
gress approved  June  13,  1888.  By  the  act  of  February  14,  1903,  the 
Department  of  Labor  was  on  July  1,  1903,  transferrred  to  the 
Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  and  made  a  bureau  thereof. 
By  the  act  of  March  4,  1913,  the  name  of  the  Bureau  was  changed  to 
"Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,"  and  by  the  same  act  it  was  transferred 
to  and  made  a  part  of  the  new  Department  of  Labor,  the  head  of 
which  became  the  tenth  member  of  the  President's  Cabinet.  The  act 
of  March  4,  1913,  transferred  also  from  the  Department  of  Commeice 
and  Labor  to  the  Department  of  Labor  the  Commissioner  General  of 
Immigration,  the  commissioners  of  immigration,  the  Bureau  of  Immi- 
gration and  Naturalization,  the  Division  of  Information,  the  Division 
of  Naturalization,  the  Immigration  Service  at  Large,  and  the  Chil- 
dren's Bureau.  Also  the  Division  of  Naturalization  was  created  an 
independent  bureau,  and  the  title  of  the  head  thereof  was  changed 
from  Chief,  Division  of  Naturalization,  to  "Commissioner  of  Naturali- 
zation." The  act  of  March  4,  1913,  also  changed  the  designation  of 
the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor  to  "Department  of  Com- 
merce," and  the  title  of  the  Secretary  was  changed  to  "Secretary  of 
Commerce." 

It  may  appear  strange  that  one  hundred  and  fourteen  years  elapsed 
before  a  Department  of  Commerce  became  a  reality,  when  its  need 
was  felt  and  its  value  recognized  at  the  very  beginnmg.  The  answer 
is  ready.  Conservative  action  on  the  important  subject  of  increasing 
the  number  of  executive  departments  has  been  the  rule  of  the  Con- 
gress. The  name  "Department  of  Foreign  Affairs"  was  changed  to 
"Department  of  State"  m  order  that  the  field  of  that  do{)artment 
might  be  enlarged  and  the  creation  of  a  home  de|)artment  avoichMl; 
the  naval  aft"airs  were  onsoliilated  with  those  of  the  Army  to  make 
unnecessary  a  separate  Department  of  the  Navy.  In  this  grouping 
in  one  department  of  matters  that  would  logically  form  two,  it  was 
but  natural  that  commerce  and  finance  should  at  lu'st  abide  together. 

8038°— 13 2 


10  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

The  tendency  of  the  national  leg^islatiirc  to  follow  and  not  lead  in 
enlarging  the  executive  side  of  government  compelled  the  Depart- 
ment of  Commerce  to  wait,  as  each  of  the  older  departments  in  its 
turn  had  waited,  until  the  demand  for  the  legislation  became  para- 
mount and  unanimous,  and  until  the  field  of  its  activity  was  aheady 
so  large  and  the  appeal  so  urgent  that  none  but  an  aliirmative  answer 

could  be  given. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The  initial  step  in  the  organization  of  tlie  Department  v/as  the 
appomtmcnt,  by  the  President,  of  George  B.  Cortclyou  as  tlie  first 
Secretary  on  February  16,  1903;  the  nomination  was  confirmed  by 
the  Senate  on  the  same  day,  and  the  Secretary,  after  taking  the  oath 
of  office  on  the  18th,  established  temporary  headquartei-s  at  the 
White  House. 

The  temporary  headquarters  were  later  moved  to  the  building 
known  as  the  Builders'  Exchange,  at  719-721  Thirteenth  Street  NW., 
where,  in  a  large  room  divided  by  partitions,  the  work  of  organization 
was  begun  on  March  16,  1903,  though  a  Commissioner  of  Corpora- 
tions, Chief  Clerk,  and  Disbursing  Clerk  liad  been  appointed  prior  to 
that  date.  A  few  weeks  later  the  Willard  Building,  which  was  then 
under  construction  at  513-515  Fourteenth  Street  NW.,  was  rented 
by  the  Department,  and  the  Secretary,  witli  as  much  of  his  force  as 
was  organized,  moved  in  as  soon  as  the  building  was  completed. 
This  building  lias  ever  since  been  the  headquarters  of  tlic  Depart- 
ment, though  sucli  of  its  bureaus  as  it  has  been  impracticable  to 
accommodate  there  have  been  located  about  the  city  wherever 
suitable  quarters  could  be  found.  The  Department  has,  however, 
entered  into  a  lease  for  a  buildmg  which  was  designed  esi)ecially  for 
its  needs  and  is  now  being  erected  at  Nineteenth  Street  and  Penn- 
sylvania Avenue  NW.,  where  it  will  ])robably  be  located  until  its 
proposed  new  l)uilding  is  erected  by  the  Government  on  the  site  which 
has  already  been  acquired  south  of  Pennsylvania  Avenue  between 
Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth  Streets  NW. 

On  the  mornmg  of  June  17,  1903,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  the  Nation's  flag  was  raised  for  the  first  time 
over  the  new  Department,  and  its  headquarters  was  formall}*  i)laced 
in  commission.  The  enthe  personnel  of  tlie  Department  assend)led 
at  the  flagstaff  on  the  roof  with  a  committee  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic  to  mtness  the  ceremony.  Brief  achlresses  were  made 
by  Judge  I.  G.  Kimball,  department  commanilcr.  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  and  Secretary  Cortelyou. 

The  law  creating  the  Department  transferred  to  it  on  July  1,  1903, 
certain  departments  and  l)ureaus  wliich  liad  theretofore  been  inde^ 
pendent  offices  or  under  the  older  executive  departments,  and  tliis 
important  date  in  the  life  of  the  new  Department  was  marked  by 


ORIGIN   AND   ORGANIZATION.  11 

the  assembling  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  its  general  officers 
and  a  number  of  distinguished  guests.  The  speakers  on  this  occa- 
sion were  Rev.  Franldin  Noble;  E,ev.  D.  J.  Stafford;  Secretary  Moody, 
of  the  Navy  Department;  S.  N.  D.  North,  Du-ector  of  the  Census; 
and  H.  B.  F.  Macfarland,  Commissioner  of  the  District  of  Columbia. 
Secretary  Cortelj^ou  made  an  address  in  which  he  recounted  the 
work  of  preliminary  organization,  and  spoke  of  the  great  opportu- 
nities before  the  Department  in  aiding  and  guiding  the  commerce 
and  industries  of  the  country  and  of  the  principles  upon  which  the 
Department  would  administer  the  laws  defining  its  powers.  In 
closing,  he  said : 

No  other  department  has  a  wider  field,  if  the  just  expectations  of  the  framers  of  the 
legislation  are  realized.  None  will  have  closer  relations  with  the  people  or  greater 
opportunities  for  effective  work.  While  we  can  not  dedicate  a  new  and  imposing 
structure  to  the  uses  of  the  Department,  we  can  at  least,  and  I  am  sure  we  all  do, 
dedicate  ourselves  to  the  work  which  Chief  Executives  have  recommended  and  Con- 
gress in  its  wisdom  has  set  apart  to  be  done.  In  this  spirit  I  have  thought  it  altogether 
fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  have  these  brief  exercises,  and  that  in  them  we 
should  emphasize  the  fact  that  if  we  are  to  have  the  highest  success  as  a  nation  in  our 
commercial  and  industrial  relations,  whether  among  ourselves  or  with  other  peoples, 
we  must  keep  ever  to  the  front  and  dominant  always  those  sturdy  elements  of  charac- 
ter and  the  dependence  upon  Divine  guidance  which  were  so  signally  shown  by  the 
founders  of  the  Republic,  and  to  which  we  can  not  too  often  revert  in  these  busy  and 
prosperous  times  which  make  memorable  for  us  the  opening  years  of  the  new  century. 

The  Department  of  Commerce,  as  at  present  constituted,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  offices  and  divisions  in  the  unmediate  Office  of  the  Secre- 
tary, consists  of  the  Bureau  of  the  Census,  the  Coast  and  Geodetic 
Survey,  the  Bureau  of  Corporations,  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  (to 
which  the  administration  of  laws  and  regulations  governing  Alaskan 
fur-seal  and  salmon  fisheries  and  fur-bearmg  animals  has  been 
assigned),  the  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce  (which  has 
among  its  duties  the  direction  of  the  work  of  commercial  agents  at 
home  and  abroad),  the  Bureau  of  Lighthouses  and  the  Lighthouse 
Service,  the  Bureau  of  Navigation  (under  which  are  the  Shippuig  and 
Radio  Services),  the  Bureau  of  Standards,  and  the  Steamboat- 
Inspection  Service. 

Most  of  these  bureaus  and  services  were  transferred  to  the  Depart- 
ment on  July  1,  1903,  by  the  act  of  February  14,  1903,  known  as  the 
organic  act.  The  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  the  Bureaus  of  Light- 
houses (formerly  the  Lighthouse  Board),  Navigation,  and  Standards, 
and  the  Steamboat-Inspection  Service  Avere  previously  under  the 
Treasury  Department  and  the  Bureau  of  the  Census  was  in  the 
Interior  Department,  while  prior  to  July  1,  1903,  the  Bureau  of 
Fisheries  was  an  independent  office  (not  assigned  to  any  depart- 
ment). The  Alaskan  fur-seal  fisheries  also  wore  formerly  in  the 
Treasury  Department. 


12  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

The  Bureau  of  Corporations  was  created  by  the  Department's 
orfjanic  act. 

The  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce  is  a  consohdation 
(effected  b}^  the  legislative,  executive,  and  judicial  appropriation 
act  of  August  23,  1912)  of  the  former  Bureaus  of  Manufactures  and 
Statistics,  the  first  of  which  was  created  by  the  act  of  Februaiy 
14,  1903,  and  the  second  was  transferred  to  the  Department  by 
the  same  act,  being  a  consolidation  of  the  Bureau  of  Statistics  of  the 
Treasuiy  Department  and  the  Bureau  of  Foreign  Commerce  of  the 
State  Department. 

A  short  history  and  description  of  the  work  of  each  of  these  several 
bureaus*  appears  under  its  respective  heading. 

DUTIES  ASSIGNED  TO  OFFICE  OF  THE  SECRETARY. 

The  duties  of  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  are  largely 
of  a  supervisory  nature,  but  embrace  also  some  matters  not  properly 
coming  dircctlj^  under  one  of  the  several  bureaus  of  the  Depart- 
ment. The  organization  consists  of  the  offices  of  the  Secretary, 
Assistant  Secretary,  Solicitor,  and  Chief  Clerk,  the  Disbursing  Office, 
the  Appointment  Division,  and  the  Divisions  of  PubUcations  and 
SuppUes.  Each  of  these  units  has  assigned  to  it  certain  well-defined 
duties,  as  indicated  under  the  headings  which  follow. 

SECRETARY    OF    COMMERCE. 

The  organic  act  of  February  14,  1903,  creating  the  Department,  as 
modified  by  the  act  of  March  4,  1913,  creating  the  Department  of 
Labor,  provides  for  a  Secretary  of  Commerce,  whose  term  of  office 
shall  be  the  same  as  that  of  other  Cabinet  officers.  The  i)rovisions 
of  Title  IV  of  the  Revised  Statutes  "uith  amendments  thereto  are 
made  appHcable  to  tliis  Department.  The  organic  act  also  proAddes 
for  an  Assistant  Secretary,  a  Chivi  Clerk,  and  a  Disbui-sing  Clerk. 

Under  its  organic  act  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Department  to  foster, 
promote,  and  develop  the  foreign  and  domestic  commerce,  the  mining, 
manufacturing,  sliij)i)ing,  and  fishery  industries,  and  the  transporta- 
tion facihtics  of  the  United  States,  and  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  is 
charged  with  the  responsibility  of  carrying  out  the  purpose  of  the 
Department  as  tluis  broadly  outhned.  Specifically,  however,  the 
powers  and  duties  of  the  Secretary  may  be  briefly  sunmiarized  as 
follows : 

Tlie  investigation  of  management  of  corporations  (except  railroads) 
engaged  in  interstate  commerce. 

The  administration  of  the  Lighthouse  Service,  including  the  estab- 
lishment and  maintenance  of  aids  to  navigation. 

The  taking  of  the  census. 

The  making  of  coast  and  geodetic  surveys. 


OFFICE    OF    THE    SECRETAEY.  13 

The  collection  and  publication  of  statistics  on  foreign  and  domestic 
commerce,  and  the  investigation  of  markets  for  American  products. 

The  inspection  of  steamboats  and  the  enforcement  of  laws  pertain- 
ing thereto  for  the  protection  of  hfe  and  property. 

The  propagation  and  distribution  of  useful  food  fishes  and  the 
superA^sing  of  Alaskan  fur-seal  and  salmon  fisheries. 

Jurisdiction  over  merchant  vessels,  including  their  registry,  meas- 
urement, licensing,  entry,  clearance,  etc.,  and  the  enforcement  of  the 
act  requiring  wireless  equipment  on  vessels. 

The  standardization  of  weights  and  measures. 

The  formulation  of  regulations  (in  conjunction  with  the  Secretaries 
of  the  Treasury  and  Agriculture)  for  the  enforcement  of  the  food  and 
drugs  act  and  the  insecticide  act. 

It  is  the  further  duty  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  to  make  such 
special  investigations  and  furnish  such  information  to  the  President 
or  Congress  as  may  be  required  by  them  on  the  foregoing  subject 
matters  and  to  make  annual  reports  to  Congress  upon  the  work  of 
liis  Department. 

By  the  act  of  March  2,  1907,  the  Secretarj'"  of  Commerce  is  created 
a  trustee  of  the  Foundation  for  the  Promotion  of  Industrial  Peace. 

ASSISTANT    SECRETARY. 

The  Assistant  Secretary  performs  such  duties  as  are  prescribed  by 
the  Secretary,  and  in  his  absence  acts  as  head  of  the  Department. 

SOLICITOR. 

The  office  of  the  Sohcitor  of  the  Department  of  Commerce  was 
authorized  by  the  legislative  act  of  March  18,  1904.  The  Sohcitor, 
who  is  an  officer  of  the  Department  of  Justice,  is  the  cliief  law  officer 
of  the  Department.  His  duties  are  to  act  as  legal  adviser  to  the 
Secretary  of  Commerce  and  the  chiefs  of  the  various  bureaus,  and 
to  render  opinions  on  questions  of  law  arising  in  the  course  of 
business  in  the  Department.  He  prepares  and  examines  all  con- 
tracts and  bonds  entered  into  or  required  by  the  Dej)artment,  and 
has  charge  of  the  pieparation  of  all  legal  papers  to  wliich  the  Depart- 
ment is  a  party.  He  also  renders  such  legal  service  in  connection 
with  matters  arising  in  the  administrative  work  as  may  be  required 
of  him  by  the  Secretary  or  the  Attorney  General. 

The  Assistant  Sohcitor,  who  acts  as  Solicitor  in  the  absence  of  the 
latter,  is  charged  with  the  general  superintendence  of  the  clerical 
force  of  the  office.  He  also  has  general  charge  of  the  preparation 
and  examination  of  all  legal  papers  of  the  Department,  and  performs 
other  legal  service  in  connection  with  the  work  of  the  office. 


14  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

CHIEF   CLERK. 

The  Chief  Clerk  enforces  the  general  regulations  of  the  Department 
and  exercises  general  supervision  over  its  employees.  He  superin- 
tends all  the  Department's  buildings  in  the  District  of  Columbia; 
supervises  all  expenditures  from  the  appropriations  for  contingent 
expenses  and  rent;  receives,  distributes,  and  transmits  the  mail;  and 
has  general  charge  of  the  telegraph  and  telephones,  and  of  all  property 
and  equipment.  He  also  discharges  all  business  of  a  miscellaneous 
character  which  does  not  come  specifically  within  the  scope  of  one  of 
the  regular  bureaus. 

DISBURSING   CLERK. 

The  Disbursing  Clerk,  whose  office  was  created  by  the  act  establish- 
ing the  Department,  has  general  supervision  of  the  financial  transac- 
tions of  the  Department.  In  his  office  are  kept  the  appropriation 
ledgers  covering  all  appropriations  made  for  the  support  of  the 
Department,  and  all  transactions,  whether  by  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment or  any  bureau  or  office  of  the  Department,  affecting  those  appro- 
priations are  recorded  therein. 

It  is  his  duty  to  prepare  for  submission  to  the  Secretar}?-  of  the 
Treasury,  to  be  forwarded  to  Congress  in  accordance  with  law,  all 
estimates  covering  appropriations  desired  for  the  various  activities 
of  the  Department. 

He  disburses  all  appropriations  made  for  the  support  of  the  Depart- 
ment with  the  exception  of  those  for  the  support  of  the  Coast  and 
Geodetic  Survey  and  most  of  the  appropriations  for  the  Lighthouse 
Service  at  large,  wliich  are  disbursed  by  special  disbursing  agents 
appointed  for  that  purpose. 

lie  prepares  for  the  signature  of  the  Secretary  all  requisitions  for 
advances  of  funds  from  appropriations  under  the  control  of  the 
Department,  and  makes  the  proper  entries  in  the  appropriation  rec- 
ords of  the  Department  kept  in  his  office. 

All  claims  against  the  Department  received  for  payment  by  the 
Disbursing  Clerk  are  given  an  examination  to  determine  whether 
they  are  legal  claims  against  the  Government  and  are  paid  either  by 
check  or  by  cash,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  account. 

The  collections  by  the  Department  covering  amounts  for  property 
sold  and  various  other  miscellaneous  receipts  are  handled  through 
and  accounted  for  in  the  office  of  the  Disbursing  Clerk. 

APPOINTMENT   DIVISION. 

The  Appointment  Division  was  organized  in  February,  1904. 
Previous  to  that  time  the  appointment  work  had  been  conducted 
by  the  Disbursing  Office.  The  office  of  Chief  of  Division  was 
created  by  the  act  maldng  appropriations  for  the  legislative,  execu- 


OFFICE   OF    THE   SECEETARY.  15 

tive,  and  judicial  expenses  of  the  Government  for  the  fiscal  year 
ended  June  30,  1907,  and  the  position  has  since  been  included  in  the 
annual  appropriation  acts. 

The  duties  of  the  Appointment  Division  involve  the  supervision 
of  matters  relating  to  appointments,  transfers,  promotions,  reduc- 
tions, removals,  and  all  other  changes  in  the  personnel,  including 
applications  for  positions  and  recommendations  concerning  the 
same,  and  the  correspondence  connected  thercAvith;  the  prepara- 
tion and  submission  to  the  Secretary  of  all  questions  affecting 
the  personnel  of  the  Department  in  its  relations  to  the  civil- 
service  law  and  rules;  the  preparation  of  nominations  sent  to  the 
Senate  and  of  commissions  and  appointments  of  all  officers  and 
employees  of  the  Department;  the  preparation  of  official  bonds; 
the  compilation  of  statistics  in  regard  to  the  personnel,  including 
material  for  the  Ofhciiil  Register,  and  the  custody  of  oaths  of  office, 
records  pertaining  to  official  bonds,  service  records  of  officers  and 
employees,  correspondence  and  reports  relating  to  the  personnel, 
reports  of  bureau  officers  respecting  the  efficiency  of  employees,  and 
records  relating  to  leaves  of  absence. 

DIVISION    OF    PUBLICATIONS. 

The  preliminary  work  looking  to  the  organization  of  the  Division 
of  Publications  was  begun  in  April,  1903,  by  the  detail  of  a  clerk 
from  the  then  Bureau  of  Statistics,  one  of  the  bureaus  transferred  to 
the  new  Department  by  the  act  of  February  14,  1903,  though  the  Divi- 
sion was  not  formally  organized  until  July  1,  1903.  The  purpose  in 
creating  a  division  of  pubhcations  was  to  have  in  one  central 
office  complete  control  over  the  Department's  pubUcation  work 
and  over  all  expenditures  for  the  same,  in  order  to  secure  uni- 
formity and  effect  economy.  The  Division  is  charged  with  the 
conduct  of  the  business  which  the  Department  transacts  with  the 
Government  Printing  Office,  and  with  general  supervision  over 
all  printing  for  the  Department,  including  editing  and  preparing 
copy,  illustrating  and  binding,  and  keeping  records  of  expenditures. 
It  has  in  charge  the  distribution  of  pubhcations  and  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  mailmg  lists.  Blank  books,  blank  forms,  and  printed 
stationery  of  all  kinds  used  by  the  several  services  of  the  Depart- 
ment are  kept  in  stock  and  supplied  by  it  on  requisition.  It  also 
has  charge  of  the  advertising  done  by  the  Department. 

DIVISION    OF    SUPPLIES. 

The  Division  of  Supplies  is  charged,  under  the  immediate  direction 
of  the  Chief  Clerk,  with  the  ])urchase  and  distribution  of  all  supplies 
for  the  use  of  the  Department  in  Washington,  except  certain  supplies 
for  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  and  the  Bureau  of  Standards.     It 


16  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

also  purchases  and  distributes  such  supphes  for  the  field  services  as 
are  purchased  from  contractors  under  the  general  suppl}-  schedule. 
All  accounts  under  the  appropriations  for  contingent  expenses  and 
rent  are  maintained  in  this  Division. 

The  Chief  of  the  Division  of  Supplies,  by  virtue  of  an  order  of  the 
Secretary,  is  Auditor  of  Property  Returns.  All  property  records  are 
maintained  in  his  office,  as  are  also  the  records  of  all  sales  of  property 
belonging  to  the  Department  within  the  District  of  Columbia.  The 
Division  prepares  annually  a  compilation  of  the  estimated  require- 
ments of  the  bureaus  for  the  guidance  of  the  General  Supply  Com- 
mittee in  making  contracts  for  supplies.  The  annual  contracts  made 
by  the  Department  for  the  hauling  of  ashes  and  rubbish,  the  launder- 
ing of  towels,  the  shoeing  of  horses,  and  the  sale  of  waste  paper  are 
handled  in  the  Division. 


I 


BUREAU  OF  THE  CENSUS. 

Before  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution,  which  ])rovided  for  a  decen- 
nial enumeration  on  which  to  base  representation  and  direct  taxation,, 
estimates  of  the  colonial  population  had  been  purely  conj  ectural .  The 
first  enumeration  after  the  establishment  of  our  present  form  of  gov- 
ernment was  under  the  act  of  March  1,  1790,  which  provided  that  it 
should  be  taken  by  United  States  marshals,  who  were  to  make  returns 
to  the  President.  The  agency  of  United  States  marshals  was  used 
until  the  census  of  1880.  Beginning  with  the  second  enumeration 
(1800),  the  Secretary  of  State  had  general  super^sion,  until  the 
establishment  of  the  Department  of  the  Interior  (1849),  when  the 
Census  Office  was  placed  under  that  Department,  where  it  remauied 
until  July  1,  1903,  when,  under  the  act  approved  February  14,  1903, 
it  was  transferred  to  the  Department  of  Commerce.  By  order  of  the 
Secretaiy  of  July  1,  1903,  the  name  "Bureau  of  the  Census"  was 
adopted. 

In  January,  1800,  two  learned  societies  memorialized  Congress  to 
enlarge  the  scope  of  census  inquiry,  and  in  the  third  enumeration 
(1810)  Congress  provided  for  the  collection  by  the  marshals  of  cer- 
tain industrial  statistics  upon  schedules  prepared  by  the  Secretaiy  of 
the  Treasury.  In  this  enumeration  "an  actual  inquiry  at  eveiy 
dwellmg  house"  was  prescribed. 

The  fourth  enumeration  (1820)  included  a  limited  number  of  indus- 
trial and  occupation  statistics.  The  fifth  enumeration  (1830)  related 
to  population  only,  and  for  the  first  time  uniform  pruited  schedules 
were  used.  The  Sixth  Census  (1840)  extended  its  inquiries  to  occupa- 
tions of  the  people  and  included  industrial  and  commercial  statistics. 
The  census  of  1840  marks  the  beginning  of  an  effort  to  make  the 
decennial  enumeration  the  instrument  for  ascertaining  something 
beyond  the  mere  number  of  persons  of  each  sex  and  the  various  ages 
of  the  population.  Prior  to  that  nothing  had  been  done  systemat- 
ically to  show  the  growth  and  development  of  the  coinitiy's  indus- 
tries and  resources. 

The  Interior  Department  took  uj)  the  supervision  of  the  census 
in  1849,  the  first  one  to  be  taken  under  its  direction  being  the  Sev- 
enth (1850).  This  census  was  taken  on  six  schedules — (1)  free  in- 
habitants, (2)  slave  inhabitants,  (3)  mortality,  (4)  i)roductions  of  agri- 
culture, (5)  products  of  industiy,  and  (6)  social  statistics.  This 
radical  amplification  of  statistics  marks  an  ej)Och  in  the  history  of 
census  taking  in  the  United  States. 

In  1857  Congress  provided  for  a  census  of  Mumesota  f)rior  to  its 
admission  as  a  State. 

8638°— 13 3  17 


18  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMIV.EBCE. 

The  act  of  May  23,  1850,  under  which  the  Seventh  Census  was  taken, 
was  the  law  under  which  the  Eighth  (1860)  and  Ninth  (1870)  Cen- 
suses were  taken.  The  work  of  the  Eighth  Census  was  completed 
under  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Ofhce.  Tallying 
machines  were  first  used  in  the  Ninth  Census. 

In  1869  and  1870  a  special  committee  of  Congress  investigated  in 
detail  census  needs,  and  the  report  of  its  chairman.  General  Garfield, 
formed  the  groundwork  of  the  Tenth  Census. 

An  unsuccessful  effort  to  establish  a  quinquennial  census  was 
made  in  1875. 

The  Superintendent  of  Census  was  fn-st  ajjpointed  by  the  President, 
by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate,  in  the  Tenth  Cen- 
sus (1880),  this  official  having  theretofore  been  a  superintending 
clerk,  appointed  by  the  Secretaiy  of  the  Interior,  under  the  law  of 
1850.  In  this  census  (1880)  the  services  of  United  States  marshals 
were  dis])ensed  with,  and  supervisors  of  census  were  appointed  by 
the  President  and  confirmed  by  the  Senate,  while  the  supervisoi-s,  in 
turn,  nominated  enumerators  in  then-  respective  districts.  Provision 
was  made  in  the  census  act  of  1880  for  an  interdecennial  census,  in 
1885,  by  any  State  or  Territory,  the  Federal  Government  to  bear  a 
portion  of  the  expense.  Three  States  and  two  Territories  availed 
themselves  of  this  o})i)ortunity. 

The  census  of  1880,  in  the  variety  of  its  investigation  and  m  com- 
pleteness of  detail,  marks  the  beginning  of  the  third  era  in  census 
taking  in  this  country.  The  enumerations  prior  to  the  law  of  1850 
had  in  effect  amounted  to  nothing  more  than  a  count  of  the  population, 
though  some  advance  along  the  line  of  industrial  statistics  had  been 
made.  The  three  censuses  taken  under  the  law  of  1850,  although 
decided  improvements  over  the  earlier  enumerations,  were  deficient  in 
many  respects.  The  census  of  1880,  by  its' change  in  the  methods  of 
supervising  and  collecting  data,  and  the  employment  of  experts  in 
making  special  investigations,  enabled  the  Nation  to  know  more 
accurately  the  facts  concerning  its  population,  wealth,  industries,  and 
varied  resources. 

The  census  of  1890  was  taken  along  the  same  comprehensive  Imes 
as  the  preceding  census.  It  was  not  mtended  originally  to  follow  the 
])lan  of  the  Tenth  Census,  but  the  law  of  March  1,  1889,  under  which 
the  Eleventh  Census  was  taken,  supplemented  by  later  legislation 
requiring  information  as  to  "farms,  homes,  and  mortgages,"  resulted 
])ractically  in  as  many  diffeient  subjects  of  inquiry,  and  as  many 
volumes  constituted  the  final  report.  The  work  of  the  census  was 
assigned  to  twenty-five  divisions,  each  devoted  to  some  special  branch 
or  feature.  An  electrical  system  of  tabulation  was  used  for  the  first 
time  in  compiling  the  statistics  relating  to  population  and  mortality, 
and  to  crime,  pauperism,  and  benevolence.     The  work  was  completed 


BUREAU    OF    THE   CENSUS.  19 

by  the  Commissioner  of  Labor  (now  Commissioner  of  Labor  Statis- 
tics) by  direction  of  Congress. 

The  census  of  1900  was  taken  under  the  act  of  March  3,  1899,  by 
which  tlie  Director  of  the  Census  was  given  entire  control  of  the  work, 
including  the  appointment  of  the  statisticians,  clerks,  and  other 
employees  of  the  Census  Office.  The  decennial  work  was  limited  to 
inquiries  relating  to  population,  mortality,  agriculture,  and  manufac- 
tures, but  provision  was  made  for  the  collection  of  statistics  relating 
to  various  special  subjects  after  the  completion  of  the  decennial  work. 
This  division  of  the  work  constituted  a  radical  departure  from  the 
course  pursued  at  the  two  preceding  censuses,  at  which  the  effort  was 
made  to  carry  on,  practically  simultaneously,  the  work  relating  to 
twenty  or  more  distinct  subjects  of  investigation.  The  general  reports 
of  the  Twelfth  Census,  comprised  in  ten  quarto  volumes,  were  pub- 
lished, m  conformity  with  the  requirements  of  the  census  act,  on  or 
before  July  1,  1902,  or  within  two  years  from  the  date  set  for  the 
legal  termination  of  the  enumeration  work."  The  system  of  electrical 
tabulation  was  again  employed  in  the  work  of  the  Twelfth  Census, 
after  a  competitive  test,  and  was  utilized  to  advantage  m  the  tabula- 
tion of  the  statistics  of  population,  mortality,  and  agriculture. 

The  necessity  for  the  establishment  of  a  permanent  statistical 
bureau  to  which  the  work  of  the  decennial  census  might  also  be 
intrusted  was  recognized,  indirectly  at  least,  as  early  as  1845,  and 
beginnmg  with  1860  recommendations  for  the  establishment  of  a 
national  bureau  of  statistics  were  embodied  in  the  annual  reports  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  up  to  and  including  the  year  1865. 

Similar  suggestions  were  made  after  that  date  for  the  establishment 
of  a  central  bureau  of  statistics  at  Washington,  but  no  direct  action 
toward  providing  for  a  permanent  census  office,  as  such,  was  taken  by 
Congress  untU  February  16,  1891,  when  the  Senate  directed  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Interior  to  consider  and  report  on  the  expediency  of  the 
establishment  of  a  permanent  census  bureau.  No  final  action  in  the 
matter  was  taken  by  Congress,  however,  and  nothing  more  was  done 
until  March  19,  1896,  when  the  Commissioner  of  Labor  was  directed 
to  report  to  the  Congress  for  its  consideration,  as  soon  as  practicable, 
a  plan  for  a  permanent  census  service.  The  Commissioner  of  Labor, 
under  date  of  December  7,  1896,  reported,  as  thus  directed,  a  tentative 
organic  administrative  act  by  which  an  independent  census  office  was 
to  be  established,  leaving  the  details  of  the  Twelfth  and  subsequent 
censuses  to  the  officers  having  them,  respectively,  iii  charge.  Noth- 
ing came  of  this  effort,  however,  and  no  provision  was  made  for  a 
permanent  census  office  until  the  passag(^  of  the  act  of  March  6,  1902, 
which  made  permanent,  after  June  30,  1902,  the  Census  Office  tempo- 
rarily established  by  the  act  of  March  3,  1899.  The  act  approved 
July  2,  1909  (36  Stat.,  1),  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  Thir- 


20  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

teenth  and  subsequent  decennial  censuses,"  and  several  other  later 
acts  of  varying  though  less  importance,  amplified  considerably  the 
duties  of  the  Bureau  and  comprise  the  larger  part  of  the  law  under 
which  it  now  operates. 

The  Bureau  of  the  Census  is  charged  w^th  the  duty  of  taking  the 
decennial  censuses  of  the  United  States,  of  makmg  certam  other  sta- 
tistical investigations  at  regular  intervals  of  years,  and  of  collecting 
such  special  statistics  as  may  be  authorized  by  law  from  time  to  time. 
The  last  decennial  census,  1910,  covered  the  subjects  of  population, 
manufactures  and  mines  and  quarries,  and  agriculture.  An  mterme- 
diate  census  of  manufactures  is  taken  in  the  fifth  year  after  the  decen- 
nial census,  and  the  act  pro"sading  for  the  Thii'teenth  Census  requires 
a  census  of  agriculture,  much  less  comprehensive  than  the  decennial 
census,  to  be  taken  in  1915  and  every  ten  years  thereafter.  The 
act  cstabUshmg  the  permanent  Census  Bureau  requii'es  that,  after 
the  completion  of  the  regular  decennial  census,  the  Director  of  the 
Census  shall  decennially  collect  statistics  relative  to  the  defective, 
dependent,  and  delinquent  classes;  crime,  including  judicial  statis- 
tics pertaining  thereto;  social  statistics  of  cities;  public  indebtedness 
expenditures,  and  taxation;  religious  bodies ;  transportation  by  water, 
and  express  business;  savings  banks  and  other  savings  mstitutions, 
mortgage,  loan,  and  similar  institutions;  and  the  fishing  industry,  in 
cooperation  with  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries.  Every  five  years  statistics 
must  be  collected  relating  to  street  railways,  electric  light  and  power 
stations,  and  telephone  and  telegraph  business.  Annual  statistics 
must  be  gathered  relatmg  to  births  and  deaths  in  States  and  cities 
maintaining  efficient  registration  systems;  the  fuiancial  and  other  sta- 
tistics of  cities  having  a  population  of  30,000  and  over;  the  production 
and  distribution  of  cotton,  and  forest  products;  and  the  quantity  of 
leaf  tobacco  on  hand. 

The  carrying  out  of  these  inquiries  involves  the  collection  of  neces- 
sary data  by  mail  or  by  personal  visits  of  employees  to  the  individual 
or  commercial  establishment,  the  subsequent  assembling,  tabidation, 
and  compilation  of  the  information  secured,  and  the  publication  in 
reports  of  tables  setting  forth  the  data,  with  comparisons,  percentages, 
averages,  textual  comment,  maps,  and  diagrams.  These  rej)ort8  form 
a  list  of  publications,  which  in  the  course  of  ten  years  comprises  up- 
ward of  400  bulletins  of  a  more  or  less  temporary  character,  and  over 
50  volumes  of  a  substantial  form. 

The  following  brief  statement  conveys  only  a  superficial  idea  of  the 
work  involved  in  carrying  out  the  functions  mentioned: 

Decennial  census  of  population. — The  last  decennial  census  was 
taken  as  of  April  15,  1910.  The  general  methods  are  as  follows: 
Schedules  calling  for  data  concerning  each  individual  with  regard  to 
name,  sex,  color  or  race,  age,  marital  condition,  nativity,  citizenship, 
language,  occupation,  education,  etc.,  are  circulated,  collected,  and 


BUREAU    OF    THE   CENSUS.  21 

revised  by  enumerators  \\a)rkiiit>;  under  the  direction  of  supervisors. 
These  scliedules  avo  then  forwarded  to  the  Bureau.  Tlie  oflice  work 
consists  of  the  following  steps:  (1)  A  count  of  tlie  population  (Hrect 
from  the  schedules  for  the  purpose  of  determinino;  the  pay  of  the 
enumerators  and — after  subsequent  careful  examination  of  the  sched- 
ules to  determme  their  accuracy — for  the  purpose  of  announcing  the 
population  of  the  various  localities  and  States,  and  ultimately  the 
United  States  as  a  whole;  (2)  such  editing  of  tlie  schedules  as  is  nec- 
essary to  prepare  them  for  the  punching  clerks,  particularly  with  ref- 
erence to  the  returns  of  mother  tongue  and  occupation;  (3)  ])imching 
of  a  card  for  each  individual  making  up  the  population,  showing  all 
the  facts  appearing  on  the  schedule  concerning  him,  this  being  done 
by  means  of  a  punching  machine;  (4)  the  verification  of  the  cards 
by  means  of  electrical  machines  which  automatically  reject  cards  in 
which  any  of  the  required  holes  have  not  been  punched  or  in  which 
the  holes  are  inconsistent  with  each  other,  and  the  correction  of  such 
rejected  cards;  (5)  the  sorting  of  the  cards  b}"  means  of  electrical 
sortmg  machines  into  main  groups,  as  determined,  for  example,  by  sex, 
color,  or  nativity,  several  different  sortings  being  required  at  the  dif- 
ferent stages  of  the  work;  (6)  tabulation  of  the  facts  with  regard  to  the 
characteristics  of  the  population  from  the  cards  by  means  of  electrical 
tabulating  machines,  it  being  necessary  to  run  the  cards  through  the 
machines  several  times  in  order  to  take  off  all  of  the  facts;  (7)  tran- 
scribmg  on  large  sheets  of  results  from  tabulatmg-machme  records, 
and  compilation  of  statistics  for  publication. 

Decennial  census  of  agriculture. — A  separate  schedule  is  provided 
for  each  individual  farm  and  contains  numerous  questions  pertaining 
to  the  farm  and  its  productions,  including  the  name  and  address  of 
farmer,  his  color  or  race,  country  of  birth,  and  age;  the  acreage, 
value,  and  tenure  of  farm;  number  and  value  of  domestic  .animals; 
quantity  and  value  of  live-stock  prothicts;  and  acreage,  quantity, 
and  value  of  crops.  These  schedules  are  prepared  ])j  the  enumerators 
of  the  population  census.  The  various  data  are  tabulated  in  the 
office,  chiefly  by  the  aid  of  adding  machines. 

Census  of  manufactures. — The  conduct  and  scope  of  the  decennial 
and  intermediate  censuses  of  manufactures  are  practically  the  same. 
They  cover  all  manufacturing  establishments  conducted  under  what 
is  known  as  the  factory  system,  exclusive  of  so-called  neighborhood, 
household,  and  hand  industries;  also  mining  and  quarrying  establish- 
ments, and  steam  laundries.  By  a  special  provision  of  the  Thirteenth 
Census  Act,  retail  slaughtering  establishments  are  also  canvassed 
in  order  to  secure  an  enumeration  of  animals  slaughtered  for  food 
and  of  hides  procured.  The  inquiry  as  to  manufactures  includes 
character  of  ownership  of  the  establishment;  data  as  to  wage  earners 
and  other  persons  engaged,  including  sex  antl  age;  and  with  reference 
to  capital,  wages,  cost  of  material,  other  expenses,  ami  value  of 


22  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

produrts.  Additionftl  data  are  also  ascertained  with  reojard  to  the 
qiiantity  ol"  the  prin('ii)al  ])ro(hi('ts  manufaetured  and  quantity  of 
])rincii)al  materials  used.  This  inlorniation  is  collected  on  schedules 
by  special  agents  or  by  clerks  detailed  from  the  office,  a  general 
schedule  for  all  establishments  w-ith  the  addition  of  special  industry 
schedules  being  used.  The  information  on  the  schedules  is  examined 
and  tabulated  in  the  office  principally  by  the  use  of  adcUng  machines. 

Annual  inquiries. — The  collection  of  statistics  of  cities  involves  the 
abstracting,  from  the  office  records  of  municipalities  having  a  popula- 
tion of  30,000  and  over,  of  data  relating  to  the  total  expenditures  for 
city  government  and  for  specified  public  services  and  objects;  the 
revenue  derived  from  all  sources  and  from  each  specified  source; 
and  the  amount  and  character  of  municipal  debt.  The  information 
is  secured  on  schedules  by  employees  sent  from  the  Bureau  to  the 
various  cities,  the  results  being  compiled  in  the  office.  Special 
inquiries  as  to  the  operations  of  particular  branches  of  city  admin- 
stration — such  as  sewers,  schools,  or  parks — are  made  from  tmie  to 
time. 

The  work  of  gathering  statistics  of  births  and  deaths  involves 
the  receipt  and  recording  of  transcripts  of  the  original  certificates 
of  the  same,  furnished  by  persons  selected  for  the  purpose  by  the 
State  and  city  authorities.  The  transcripts  are  tabulated  in  the 
office  by  methods  sunilar  to  those  used  in  the  population  census. 
The  greater  part  of  this  work  is  in  connection  with  death  statistics, 
wliich  are  compiled  so  as  to  show  general  and  specific  death  rates; 
summaries  of  deaths,  by  causes,  sex,  and  age,  by  color  and  nativity, 
and  by  urban  and  rural  localities;  and  average  death  rates  in  States 
and  cities. 

The  cotton  statistics  assembled  by  the  Bureau  are  collected  in 
the  cotton-producing  States  by  local  agents,  and  elsewhere  by  mail 
or  by  employees  detailed  from  the  office.  The  results  are  issued 
in  annual  reports  on  the  production,  distribution,  and  consumj)tion 
of  cotton  and  cottonseed  products;  monthly  reports  showing  cotton 
consumed  and  on  hand  in  manufacturing  establishments  and  ware- 
houses; and  ten  summaries  compiled  during  the  cotton-ginning 
season  from  telegraphic  reports  showing  amount  of  cotton  ginned. 

Statistics  are  also  collected  and  published  annually  with  regard 
to  the  production  of  lumber;  and  a  half-yearly  statement  is  issued 
showing  the  amount  of  tobacco  on  hand  in  factories  and  warehouses. 

The  work  of  properly  and  economically  dividing  the  country  into 
enumeration  districts,  and  of  pre})aring  ma])s,  etc.,  to  accompany  and 
illustrate  reports,  is  performed  by  a  staff  of  employees  under  the 
charge  of  the  geographer. 

The  mechanical  appliances  used  in  the  census  work  include  a  large 
number  of  punching,  sorting,  and  tabulating  machines,  many  of  which 
have  been  devised  and  wholly  or  partially  constructed,  or  have  been 


BUREAU   OP   THE   CENSUS.  23 

modified,  by  the  mechamcal  force  of  tlie  Bureau.  This  work,  with 
that  of  inaintaininjjj  the  machines  in  oi)eration,  calls  for  a  consider- 
able amount  of  expert  work,  the  constant  aun  being  to  pro(Uice 
improvements  with  a  view  to  economizing:^  and  accelerating  their 
work.  The  mechanical  equipment  used  during  the  Thirteenth 
Census  included  200  hand  pimching  machines,  ,300  electric  ])unching 
machines,  17  card-sorting  machines,  OG  card-tabulating  machines, 
and  over  350  adding  machines. 

The  organization  of  the  Bureau  is  of  a  twofold  nature — one  for 
intercensal  years,  the  other  a  largely  expanded  force  during  decennial 
"census  periods."  The  former  force  is  provided  for  by  the  act  of 
March  6,  1902,  establishing  the  permanent  office,  and  is  modified 
from  time  to  time  in  annual  appropriation  acts.  Special  provision 
is  usually  made  by  Congress  for  the  expanded  force  during  census 
periods,  which  cover  three  years  immediately  preceding  and  following 
the  date  of  enumeration. 

The  permanent  force  may,  briefly,  be  said  to  consist  of  a  Director, 
chief  clerk,  geographer,  four  chief  statisticians,  eight  chiefs  of  divi- 
sion, a  small  number  of  expert  special  agents,  and  such  clerks  and 
mechanical  and  subclerical  employees  as  may  be  authorized.  The 
total  force  at  present  is  approximately  600.  There  is  also  a  force  of 
special  agents,  numbering  about  700,  who  are  residents  of  the  cotton- 
growing  States,  and  whose  duties  (which  are  occasional)  consist  of 
collecting  statistics  of  cotton  ginned,  consumed,  and  on  hand  in  their 
respective  localities. 

The  force  during  the  census  period  is  expanded  by  the  addition  of 
a  few  officials,  such  as  an  Assistant  Director,  an  appouitment  clerk, 
and  a  disbursmg  clerk,  and  a  large  number  of  employees  in  the  cler- 
ical and  subclerical  grades.  During  the  Thirteenth  Census  period 
this  force  m  Washington  reached  a  maximum  of  nearly  4,000.  Super- 
visors and  enumerators,  to  the  number  of  approximately  330  and 
70,000,  respectively,  were  also  employed  for  the  actual  enumeration  in 
the  field. 

The  force  of  the  Bureau  during  either  census  or  intercensal  periods 
is  divided  into  groups,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  inquiries  and 
statistics  which  constitute  its  main  functions.  These  groups  arc  (1) 
administrative  force;  (2)  Division  of  Population;  (3)  Division  of 
Agriculture;  (4)  Division  of  Statistics  of  Cities;  (5)  Division  of 
Manufactures;  (6)  Division  of  Vital  Statistics;  (7)  Division  of  Pub- 
lication; (8)  Division  of  Revision  and  Results;  (9)  Geographer's 
Division;  (10)  mechanical  force,  and  (11)  maintenance  force. 

The  work  of  these  divisions  is  sufficiently  indicated  by  their  designa- 
tions. Their  strength,  with  the  exception  of  the  administrative  and 
maintenance  forces,  varies  considerably  from  tune  to  time,  as  the 
amount  of  work  devolving  on  the  divisions  increases  or  diminishes. 


UNITED  STATES  COAST  AND  GEODETIC  SURVEY. 

The  authorization  of  the  Coast  Survey  in  1807  established  the  first 
scientific  bureau  of  tlie  Government,  and  as  soon  as  the  ])roper 
instruments  and  skilled  workmen  were  i)rovided  and  the  survey  was 
undertaken  the  effect  produced  was  a  stimulus  to  all  educational  and 
scientific  work.  The  methods  used  by  the  Survey  have  been  the 
standard  for  similar  undertakings  in  the  United  States,  and  many 
commendations  of  their  excellence  have  been  received  from  abroad, 
while  the  influence  of  the  Survey  in  the  various  operations  resulting 
from  the  advancing  scientific  activity  of  the  country  can  hardly  be 
overestimated. 

A  survey  of  the  coast  of  the  United  States  was  authorized  by  act 
of  Congress  of  February  10,  1807,  and  the  plans  formulated  by 
F.  R.  Hassler,  an  eminent  scientist  of  Swiss  birth,  were  adopted.  The 
necessity  of  securing  instruments  from  abroad  and  the  breaking  out 
of  hostilities  with  Great  Britain  delayed  the  organization  of  the  Survey 
under  the  Treasury  Department  until  1816.  The  work  had  just  begun 
when,  by  act  of  April  14,  1818,  Congress  repealed  so  much  of  the 
statute  of  1807  as  authorized  the  employment  of  other  than  Army 
and  Navy  officers  in  the  Survey. 

No  surveys  were  made  under  the  War  Department,  and  after  a  full 
consideration  of  the  unsatisfactory  results  obtained  in  the  survey 
made  under  the  Navy  Department,  as  repeatedly  suggested  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  others,  Congress  revived  the  law  of  1807, 
with  somewhat  extended  sco])e,  by  the  act  of  July  10,  1832,  and  the 
work  was  again  ])laced  under  the  Treasury  Department.  Operations 
had  hardly  been  resumed  before  President  Jackson,  on  March  1 1 ,  1834, 
directed  that  the  Survey  be  transferred  to  the  Navy  Department. 
Again  the  work  proceeded  so  unsatisfactorily  that  in  two  years — 
March  26,  1836 — it  was  retransf erred  by  President  Jackson  to  the 
Treasury  Department,  where  it  remained  until  Jidy  1,  1903,  when  the 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  was  placed  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Secretary  of  this  Department,  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  Congress 
approved  February  14,  1903. 

By  the  act  of  March  3,  1843,  prompted  by  suggestions  of  the 
expediency  of  a  retransfer  of  the  Survey  to  the  Navy  Department, 
Congi-ess  provided  that  the  President  should  organize  a  board  to  make 
an  intelligent  and  efficient  inquiry  for  the  development  of  a  plan  of 
permanent  organization  for  the  Survey.  The  report  of  this  board, 
giving  in  detail  its  plan  for  reorganization,  was   approved  by  the 

24 


UNITED   STATES   COAST   AND   GEODETIC   SURVEY.  25 

President  April  29,  1843,  and  the  work  of  the  Survey  has  ever  smce 
been  modeled  on  the  lines  then  laid  down.  For  fifty  years  prior  to 
1898  nearly  one-half  of  the  vessels  of  the  vSurvey  were  manned  and 
officered  by  the  Navy,  but  since  the  war  with  Spain  these  duties  have 
devolved  exclusively  upon  the  civilians  of  the  service. 

By  including  in  the  appropriation  for  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey 
a  provision  for  the  pay  and  subsistence  for  ofTiccrs  and  men  for  the 
vessels  of  the  Survey,  formerly  supplied  by  the  Navy  (which  provision 
has  been  continued  in  subsequent  acts).  Congress  in  1900  placed  the 
service  on  a  purely  civilian  basis. 

The  name  "Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey"  was  authorized  by  its  use 
in  the  sundry  civil  appropriation  act  approved  June  20,  1878. 

FIELD    WORK. 

The  Survey  is  now  a  bureau  of  the  Department  of  Commerce,  and 
its  work  is  under  the  i»imediate  supervision  of  the  Superintendent, 
whose  representatives  in  the  field  are  the  assistants  who  have  charge 
of  the  parties  and  command  the  vessels.  The  OfTicc  at  Washington 
and  the  subofhces  at  San  Francisco  and  Manila  are  under  assistants. 
Its  original  and  principal  duty  is  the  survey  of  the  coast  of  the 
United  States,  but  there  have  been  added,  by  legislation,  the  deter- 
mination of  the  magnetic  elements,  and  exact  elevation  and  geo- 
graphical position  of  points  in  the  interior  of  the  country. 

The  scope  of  the  Survey  has  also  been  extended  from  tune  to  time 
to  include  Lake  Champlain,  the  Pacific  coast  from  San  Diego  to 
Panama,  a  transcontinental  triangulation  between  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  coasts,  and  surveys  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  Alaska,  and 
"other  coasts  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States." 

By  joint  resolution  of  February  5,  1889,  the  United  States  accepted 
the  invitation  of  the  Imperial  German  Government  to  become  a  party 
to  the  International  Geodetic  Association,  and  the  delegates  are  by 
law  officers  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  appointed  by  the 
President. 

The  use  of  the  facilities  of  the  Survey  for  research  and  study  by 
scientific  investigators  and  students  of  any  institution  of  higher 
education  is  granted  by  law  (31  Stat.,  1039),  and  resolution  of  A])ril 
12,  1892. 

The  general  continental  coast  line  of  the  United  States,  including 
Alaska,  measures,  in  extension,  11,500  miles,  which  is  expanded  by 
the  indentations  and  convolutions  of  the  littoral  of  its  tidal  rivers, 
islands,  bays,  sounds,  and  gulfs  to  91,000  miles;  and  to  these  figures 
must  be  added,  because  of  the  recently  acquired  insular  possessions, 
5,400  miles  of  general  coast  line  and  12,100  miles  of  detailed  shore 
line.  For  the  use  of  the  mariner  and  surveyor  the  results  of  the  Sur- 
vey's operations  are  published  in  756  charts  and  maps;  in  its  Tide 

8638°— 13 4 


26  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

Tables,  which,  jjieptircd  annually  in  advance  of  the  year  for  which 
they  are  intended,  give  the  daily  high  and  low  values  of  the  tidal 
phenomena  for  each  day  of  tlie  year  for  every  port  in  tlie  United 
States  and  for  all  the  leading  ports  of  the  world;  in  the  21  volumes 
of  the  Coast  Pilot  and  Sailing  Directions,  and  in  its  weekly  notices 
to  mariners,  published  in  cooperation  mth  the  Bureau  of  Light- 
houses. These  publications  supply  such  comprehensive,  accurate, 
and  detailed  information  concerning  tlie  navigation  of  our  coasts 
and  the  approaches  to  our  harbors  that,  save  in  the  case  of  certain 
little-frequented  sections  of  Alaska  and  the  Philippines,  and  certain 
channels  where  storms  and  currents  produce  constant  changes,  it  may 
be  truthfully  claimed  that  in  American  waters  the  mariner  Is  afforded 
an  unrivaled  opportunity  for  the  safe  navigation  of  his  vessel. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  the  Survey  issues  a  gi-eat  variety  of 
publications  recording  the  researches  of  its  officers  as  well  as  the 
results  of  its  surveys.  These  are  distributed  free  to  schools,  scien- 
tific institutions,  libraries,  and  individuals  particularly  interested 
in  them. 

The  first  survey  of  the  Atlantic,  Gulf,  and  Pacific  coasts  of  the 
mainland  of  the  United  States,  excei)t  in  the  case  of  Alaska,  has 
been  completed,  but  the  ceaseless  changes  due  to  the  operation  of 
the  tides;  to  the  alterations  in  the  conditions  of  our  great  river  sys- 
tems, resulting  from  the  subjection  to  cultivation  of  the  interior  of 
our  continent;  to  the  demands  for  change  and  im])rovement  that 
are  a  consequence  of  the  scale  upon  whicii  modern  works  for 
meeting  the  demands  of  trade  and  commerce  are  j)lanned;  to  the 
rec^uirements  of  leviatlians  that  are  now  considered  essential  for 
both  the  necessities  of  commerce  and  national  defense;  to  the  needs 
of  the  ra])i(lly  increasing  fleets  of  motor  boats,  and,  lastly,  the  secular 
results  of  continental  u})heaval  and  subsidence,  necessitate  revision 
of  surveys  from  time  to  time. 

On  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf  coasts  this  work  of  i(>vision  and  ad<Mtion 
requires  tlie  em})ioynient  of  two  steamei"s  of  the  Survey,  two  schoon- 
ers, and  several  chartered  launches;  another  small  steamer,  which 
was  especially  designed  for  the  work  i?i  whicli  it  is  engaged,  is  necessaiy 
for  the  surveys  and  examinations  wliich  have  to  be  made  to  keep 
the  information  in  the  Coast  Pilot  volumes  for  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf 
coasts  accurate  and  timely. 

Along  the  I^icific  coast  four  steamers  and  two  large  launches  are 
required  to  meet  the  pressing  demands  for  accurate  surveys  in 
Alaskan  waters.  In  the  "winter  season  one  of  the  steamers  from  this 
fleet  is  engaged  in  surveys  in  Hawaiian  waters  and  the  other  steamers 
are  on  duty  for  chart  revision  and  necessary  resurveys  to  meet  the 
constantly  gi'owing  imjiortance  of  the  coast  from  the  Strait  of  Juan 
de  I'uca  to  San  J)iego. 


UNITED   STATES   COAST   AND   GEODETIC   SUEVEY.  27 

The  acquisition  of  Porto  Eico,  Hawaii,  and  tlic  Pliilipj)ines 
increased  tremendously  the  responsibilities  of  the  Survey.  Porto 
Rico,  ahhough  one  of  the  oldest  Spanish  possessions  in  the  New 
World,  was  so  poorly  charted  that  the  Sailing  Directions  of  the 
British  Admiralty  cautioned  navigators  to  make  an  allowance  of 
from  4  to  5  miles  in  approaching  its  shores.  One  of  the  first  results 
of  the  work  undertaken  by  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  was  the 
development  of  the  land-locked  harbor  of  Jobos,  and  this  was 
followed  by  the  development  which  first  made  available  for  commerce 
other  harbors  on  the  south  and  west  coasts. 

In  the  Philippines,  on  a  larger  scale,  was  presented  the  spectacle 
of  a  country  lavishly  endowed  by  nature  with  her  richest  gifts, 
islands  with  lands  of  exuberant  fertility,  and  mountains  seamed 
mth  precious  veins  of  minerals  and  vestured  with  forests  of  the  most 
magnificent  woods  almost  impenetrably  sealed  against  the  world's 
uses  by  the  indifference  of  its  masters  to  surveying  and  charting 
its  vv^iterways  and  shores.  The  archipelago  comprises  3,141  islands 
and  islets,  and  as  there  is  no  point  m  the  group  distant  more  than 
60  miles  from  the  sea  the  importance  of  correct  charting  of  its  vast 
system  of  waterways  is  self-evident.  This  duty  was  one  of  the 
first  undertaken  in  the  islands  by  the  United  States,  and  in  December, 
1900,  a  suboffice  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  was  opened  in 
]\Ianila,  simultaneously  with  which  astronomic,  topographic,  and 
hydrographic  parties  began  operations,  which  have  been  continued 
with  the  greatest  diligence  and  have  shown  the  most  gratifying 
results.  The  importance  of  the  work  in  the  Philippines  was  almost 
instantly  recognized  by  the  insular  government,  which,  from  the 
beginning,  most  generously  cooperated  with  the  national  authorities. 
The  field  results  receive  their  preliminary  discussion  and  are  prepared 
for  earliest  possible  publication  in  Manila.  A  large  force  of  native 
draftsmen  is  employed  in  the  Manila  oihce  m  the  preparation  of 
chart  drawings,  which  are  engraved  and  printed  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

A  very  important  operation  of  the  Survey  is  the  determination  of 
the  exact  elevations  of  standard  i)oints  throughout  the  country  by 
lines  forming  a  network  of  refined  levels,  which  furnishes  a  connec- 
tion for  securing  the  most  useful  results  from  the  thousands  of  miles 
of  levels  run  for  works  of  public  improvement. 

The  magnetic  surveys,  which  at  sea  and  on  shore  are  so  essential 
for  the  perfection  of  charts  and  so  important  for  the  proj^erty  and 
political  interests  of  this  country,  where  the  magnetic  noodle  has 
been  so  generally  used  in  determining  i)roperty  outlines  and  boimdary 
lines,  form  a  very  important  i^art  of  the  activities  of  the  Survey. 

The  character  of  the  operations  necessary  for  charting  the  groat 
coast  line  of  the  United  States  demanded  from  the  first  the  qualifi- 
cations looked  for  in  the  technical  experts  to  whom  are  intrusted 


28  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

boundary  and  delimitation  work  of  the  highest  importance,  and  both 
the  States  and  the  National  Government  call  on  the  C^oast  and 
Geodetic  Survey  for  the  execution  of  many  of  the  more  important 
projects  of  this  character.  The  requests  of  the  States  of  New  York, 
Maryland,  and  Delaware  for  the  detail  of  officers  to  supply  technical 
direction  for  political  and  economical  surveys  in  those  States  are 
examples  of  the  varying  demands  to  which  the  splendidly  trained 
and  equipi)ed  technical  force  furnish  adequate  response. 

The  Superintendent,  as  Commissioner  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States,  is  charged  with  surveying  and  marking  the  southeastern 
boundary  of  Alaska  from  Portland  Canal  to  Mount  St.  Elias,  and  of 
the  meridianal  boundary  from  Mount  St.  Elias  to  the  Ai'ctic  Ocean, 
the  survey  parties  engaged  in  the  field  work  facing  hardships,  priva- 
tions, and  dangers  known  only  to  the  most  intrepid  of  explorers. 
Under  his  direction  other  parties  are  engaged  m  the  re-markmg  and 
additional  boundary  surveys  required  along  the  forty-ninth  parallel 
of  latitude,  in  Montana,  North  Dakota,  and  Minnesota.  On  the 
northeastern  boundary  parties  under  his  direction  are  making  siu'veys 
for  the  revision  of  the  boundary  in  the  St.  John  and  St.  Croix  Valleys. 

An  officer  of  the  Survey  is  detailed  as  a  member  of  the  Mississippi 
River  Commission. 

OFFICE    WORK. 

While  the  valuable  oilice  equi])ment  of  the  Bureau  can  not  show  a 
picturesqueness  comparable  with  that  noted  in  a  consideration  of  the 
duties  of  the  field  section  with  its  personnel  spread  from  the  Antilles 
to  the  China  Seas  and  from  Bering  Sea  to  waters  within  5  degrees  of 
the  Equator,  the  variety  of  its  tasks  are  as  great  and  its  operations 
as  interesting  and  instructive.  In  addition  to  the  administrative 
divisions  there  are  tlie  Computing,  Chart  Construction,  Instrument, 
and  Tidal  Divisions. 

In  the  Computing  Division  are  discussed  with  the  highest  mathe- 
matical refinement  the  observations  made  in  the  field,  the  results 
being  prepared  for  their  final  publication  and  utilization. 

The  Chart  Construction  Division  comprises  the  drawing,  engraving, 
electrotype,  photograph,  and  printing  sections,  all  engaged  in  the 
construction,  maintenance,  and  publication  of  charts.  The  drawing 
section  assembles  and  compiles  all  chart  information  received,  includ- 
ing the  results  of  the  topographic  and  hydrographic  parties,  harbor 
improvement  surveys  of  the  Army  Engineers,  surveys  by  local  engi- 
neers, additions  and  changes  in  lights  and  buoys,  and  newly  discov- 
ered rocks  and  other  dangers.  From  tliis  information  new  chart 
drawings  are  ])re]jared  for  engravmg  or  photolithography  and  old 
cluirts  are  brought  up  to  date.  The  engravmg  section  engraves  the 
chart  drawings  on  coi)pcr  i)lates  and  makes  the  changes  required  on 


UNITED   STATES   COAST   AND   GEODETIC   SURVEY.  29 

the  plates.  The  electrotype  section  duplicates  the  engraved  copper 
plates  previous  to  printing,  so  that  worn  plates  can  be  replaced  b}^ 
new  ones.  The  photograph  section  makes  negatives  for  those  charts 
published  by  photolithography,  makes  photographic  copies  of  original 
surveys  requii-ed  by  other  departments  and  the  courts,  and  etches  on 
copper  some  of  the  new  charts.  The  printing  section  prints  from 
copper  plates  and  by  photolithography  over  140,000  charts  a  year. 

In  the  Instrument  Division  have  been  initiated  types  of  instruments 
that  are  now  adopted  by  the  national  European  surveys,  one  of  its 
late  achievements  being  the  construction  of  the  most  effective  tidal 
predicting  machine  in  existence.  This  machine  takes  into  account 
37  of  the  tidal  influencing  components,  producing  a  year's  record  of 
predictions  of  all  the  daUy  high  and  low  waters  for  a  port  in  less  than 
ten  hours,  an  undertaking  not  possible  by  the  direct  computation  of 
100  computers. 

In  the  Tidal  Division  are  discussed  the  tidal  phenomena  on  such  a 
scale  that  the  Tide  Tables  of  the  Survey,  published  amiually  m  ad- 
vance, furnish  the  marmer  with  the  values  of  the  high  and  low  tides 
at  3,270  ports  selected  from  all  over  the  world  and  covermg  every 
region  of  any  value  to  commerce. 

A  study  of  the  annual  report  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  Survey 
will  disclose  an  account  of  activities  which  are  of  the  highest  value  to 
the  maiiner,  the  hydrographer,  the  surveyor,  the  engineer,  the  land- 
owner, and  the  physicist,  and  a  record  which,  for  the  practical  needs 
of  commerce  and  the  contribution  which  the  United  States  in  common 
with  other  first-class  powers  is  making  to  the  knowledge  of  the  dimen- 
sions and  configuration  of  the  globe  we  five  on,  is  worthy  of  the  hon- 
orably distinguished  name  which  has  so  long  been  borne  by  this  the 
oldest  bureau  of  applied  science  under  the  Government. 

A  more  extended  description  of  the  organization  and  functions  of 
the  Survey  will  be  found  in  the  pamphlet  entitled  ' '  The  Work  of  the 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,"  which  those  interested  may  obtain  on 
a])plication. 


BUREAU  OF  CORPORATIONS. 

The  Bureau  of  Corporations  was  created  by  the  organic  act  of  the 
Department,  approved  Febniary  14,  1903.  The  act  authorizes  the 
Bureau,  under  the  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce,  to  inves- 
tigate the  organization,  conduct,  and  management  of  the  business  of 
any  corporation,  joint  stock  company,  or  corporate  combinatioji 
engaged  in  interstate  or  foreign  commerce,  except  common  carriei-s 
sul)ject  to  the  interstate-commerce  act;  to  gather  such  information 
and  data  as  \\'i!l  enable  the  President  to  make  recommenchitions  to 
Congress  for  legislation  for  the  regulation  of  interstate  and  foreign 
commerce;  to  report  the  data  so  collected  to  the  President  from  time 
to  time  as  he  may  require,  and  to  make  public  such  part  of  said 
information  as  the  President  may  direct. 

It  is  also  the  duty  of  the  Bureau,  under  the  direction  of  the  Secre- 
tiary  of  Commerce,  to  gather,  compile,  publish,  and  suppl}'  useful 
information  concerning  corporations  engaged  in  interstate  or  foreign 
commerce,  including  corporations  engaged  in  insurance. 

The  creation  of  the  Bureau  was  in  the  nature  of  a  resi)ons6  to  a 
growing  public  demand  for  some  power  or  tribunal  wliich  should 
deal  with  the  new  economic  problems  involved  in  the  increased  ten- 
dency toward  concentrated  ownership  of  the  large  industries  of  the 
country.  The  organization  of  certain  ' 'trusts "  from  time  to  time 
during  the  eighties  and  earlier  was  followed  in  1S90  by  the  so-called 
Sherman  antitrust  law,  wliich,  however,  largely  on  accoujit  of  early 
decisions  thereunder,  resulted  not  so  much  in  checking  the  growth 
of  consolidations  as  in  changing  then-  form.  In  the  late  nineties 
there  came  the  phenomenal  concentration  of  industrial  capital  fre- 
quently referred  to  as  the  "consolidation  craze."  A  conference  was 
held  at  Chicago,  known  as  the  Chicago  Trust  Conference,  in  1899. 
The  Industrial  Commission,  created  in  1898,  devoted  especial  atten- 
tion in  1899  and  1900,  among  other  subjects,  to  industrial  combina- 
tions. Finally,  in  December,  1901,  there  was  introduced  in  the 
United  ^tates  Senate  a  bill  "to  establish  a  Department  of  Com- 
merce." This  bill,  with  the  title  amended  to  read  Department,  of 
Commerce  and  Labor,  was  passed  by  the  Senate  in  January,  1902, 
and  referred  to  the  House.  In  Januaiy,  1903,  a  report  was  sub- 
mitted by  the  House  Committee  on  Intei-state  and  Foreign  Com- 
merce, in  which  for  the  first  time  the  Bureau  of  Corporations  was 
provided  for.  The  House  bill  was  not  accepted  by  the  Senate,  but 
in  February,  1903,  a  compromise  bill  was  reported  from  conference 
30 


BUREAU   OF   CORPORATIONS.  31 

and  speedily  agreed  to  in  both  Houses.     Oii   KehruHT-y  14,  lOO.S,  it 
received  the  signature  of  the  President. 

Tiu'  first  year  of  the  Bnreau's  work  was  largely  taken  up  in  a  close 
inspection  of  the  whole  field  that  Would  eventually  be  covered  by  its 
operations.  Studies  were  made  of  action  taken  by  the  different 
States  in  the  matter  of  coiporate  control  and  regulation,  and  also  of 
statutes,  constitutions,  and  court  decisions.  Preliminary  investiga- 
tions were  made  of  the  organization  and  operations  of  certain  of  the 
larger  corporate  combinations.  This  early  work  of  the  Bureau 
naturally  led  to  the  economic  field  rather  than  to  the  legal,  as  the 
Bureau,  under  the  act  creating  it,  has  no  power  of  remedial  redress, 
nor  was  it  created  for  the  purpose  of  directly  assisting  individuals  in 
their  private  relationships  to  large  corporations.  Its  investigatory 
work,  by  the  terms  of  the  organic  act,  is  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring 
and  transmitting  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  information 
concerning  combinations  and  consohdations  and  their  operations 
which  will  enable  him  to  recommend  legislation,  and  wliich  may  also, 
under  his  direction,  be  made  pubhc  througli  printed  reports.  Tlie 
preparation  and  issuance  of  such  reports  has  essentially  constituted 
the  work  of  the  Bureau  up  to  tliis  time. 

The  Bureau's  investigations  thus  far  have  naturally,  to  a  great 
extent,  been  connected  with  tlie  control  by  corporations  of  the  natural 
resources  of  the  country.  In  this  connection,  investigations  luive 
been  made  of  the  petroleum  industry,  the  steel  industry,  and  the 
lumber  industry.  Another  important  though  somewhat  less  ex- 
tensive investigation  involved  the  control  of  water  power.  Certain 
other  investigations  have  been  especiaUy  concerned  mth  conditions 
involved  in  the  sale  and  distribution  of  articles  of  very  general  con- 
sumption, as,  for  instance,  those  of  the  beef  industry  and  the  tobacco 
industry.  Another  investigation,  having  a  vital  bearing  on  the 
entire  subject  of  waterways,  was  that  of  transportation  by  water, 
and  the  element  of  control  involved  in  the  ownei-ship  of  terminals 
and  water  carriers.  Still  another  investigation  of  great  pubhc 
importance  because  of  its  direct  relation  to  the  agricultural  interests 
of  the  country  is  that  of  the  International  Harvester  Co.  The  early 
study  of  the  corporation  statutes  of  the  various  States  developed  some- 
what naturally  into  an  investigation  of  State  taxation  of  corporations, 
in  connection  with  which  the  Bureau  has  already  submitted  several 
parts  of  its  report,  wliich,  when  completed,  will  cover  the  entire 
country. 

The  last  paragraph  of  the  act  creating  the  Bureau  and  defuiing  its 
duties  with  respect  to  the  investigation  of  corporations  expressly 
mentions  corporations  "engaged  in  insurance."  In  the  early  years 
of  the  Bureau's  existence  considerable  attention  was  paid  to  that 
subject.     Later,   it  was   definitely  decided   to   abandon   this  field, 


32  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

owino;  to  doubtful  FocTeral  jurisdiction,  insurance  having  repeatedly 
been  hold  by  the  vSui)renio  Court  of  the  United  States  not  to  be  com- 
merco. 

One  of  the  first  essentials  in  the  conduct  of  the  work  of  the  Bureau 
is  the  treatment  of  each  hidividual  investigation  on  its  own  merits 
with  the  scientific  aim  of  ascertaming  the  exact  facts.  This  results 
in  a  marked  degree  of  discrimination  and  in  clear  definition  of  the 
particular  principles  involved  in  a  given  case.  The  vital  ])rincii)le 
involved  in  the  Bureau's  work  by  reason  of  the  terms  of  the  organic 
act  creating  it  is  that  of  publicity.  The  results  of  this  publicity  have 
been  substantial.  A  direct  and  practical  effect  is  seen  in  the  use 
made  of  the  Bureau's  reports  in  laying  the  basis  for  constructive 
legislation,  and  again  in  their  frequent  use  as  the  basis  of  judicial 
]-)rocee(Ungs.  A  further  exceedingly  im]>ortant  result  has  been  the 
corrective  effect  upon  the  interests  specifically  investigated.  A  less 
noticeable  but  i)erha])s  even  more  important  result  of  the  Bureau's 
work  has  been  the  enlightenment  of  public  opinion  by  the  jniblica- 
tion  of  precise  and  carefully  verified  information  concerning  the 
operations  of  some  of  the  large  corporations. 

The  organization  of  the  Bureau  is  simple.  Outside  of  those 
employees  assigned  to  matters  involving  administration  and  accounts, 
and  the  stenographic  division,  the  force  consists,  broadly  speaking, 
of  two  classes — investigators  and  statisticians.  The  expert  investi- 
gators of  the  Bureau,  technically  known  as  special  examiners,  .have 
to  a  large  extent  either  been  given  charge  of  an  investigation  or 
assigned  to  the  most  important  constructive  work,  such  as  the  ]>repa- 
ration  of  text  or  (Urection  of  field  investigation,  these  men  being 
directly  responsible  to  the  Commissioner.  They  have  been  assisted 
in  turn  by  field  agents  or  other  special  examiners,  and  by  members  of 
the  clerical  force  assigncnl  to  })articular  investigations.  In  the  main, 
however,  the  statistical  work  of  the  Bureau  instead  of  being  distrib- 
uted among  the  various  investigations  has  been  handled  by  a  compact 
unit  or  division  conducting  the  statistical  work  in  general. 

The  actual  work  of  investigation  has  to  a  large  extent  devolved 
upon  the  special  examiners  directly  in  charge  of  such  investigations, 
subject  to  constant  supervision  by  the  Commissioner.  As  the  results 
of  this  work  are  drafted  f(n"  publication,  they  are  submitted  to  the 
Commissioner,  who  reads  and  revises  them,  and  epitomizes  them  in 
the  form  of  letters  of  submittal  for  submission  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States  and  with  a  view  to  publication  in  the  press. 
Accompanying  these  letters  of  submittal  in  most  instances,  more- 
over, there  has  been  a  summary  digest  giving  in  rather  more  extended 
but  still  condensed  form  the  essential  facts  contained  in  the  reports. 
It  has  been  found  that  these  letters  of  submittal  and  the  accompany- 
ing summaries  have  resulted  in  very  widespread  publicity  of  the 


BUEEAU    OF    CORPORATIONS.  33 

results  of  the  Bureau's  work.     This  cooporatiou  of  the  press  is  an 
exceedingly  important  factor. 

Up  to  this  time  the  princi})al  work  of  the  Burc^au  iias  tlierefore 
been  that  of  investigation  and  ])ublicity.  It  has  not  been  a  bureau 
of  record.  Frequently  letters  of  inquiry  are  received  by  the  Bureau 
for  specific  information  about  i)articular  corporations,  evidently 
under  the  impression  that  the  Bureau  keeps  a  record  of  all  corpora- 
tions, or  at  least  of  tlie  larger  corporations,  and  of  the  leading  facts 
connected  with  their  organization  and  operation,  for  general  infor- 
mation. It  is  desirable  to  correct  tliis  impression,  for  such  is  not 
the  case.  Recommendations  have  repeatedly  been  made  to  pro- 
vide for  the  automatic  submission  to  the  Bureau  of  the  leaduig 
facts  concerning  the  organization  and  0})eration  of  tiie  })rincipal 
corporations  engaged  in  interstate  conniierce,  but  thus  far  no  action 
has  ])een  taken. 


BUREAU  OF  FISHERIES. 

The  Bureau  of  Fisheries  owed  its  inception  to  the  widely  enter- 
tained opinion  that  the  fislieries  in  general  were  diminishing  in  value 
and  imjjortance  on  account  of  the  intensity  and  methods  with  which 
they  were  prosecuted,  a  view  which  investigation  has  shown  to  be 
justified  with  respect  to  many  fishes  and  other  valuable  aquatic 
animals.  The  American  Fish  Culturists'  Association  (now  the  Ameri- 
can Fisheries  Society)  took  a  leading  ])art  in  advocating  an  investiga- 
tion of  the  subject,  and  Lirgely  through  its  influence  and  the  repre- 
sentations of  State  fishery  oilicers  Congi-ess  passed  a  joint  resolution, 
aj)proved  P'cbruary  9,  1871,  which  provided  for  the  appointment  of  a 
Commissioner  of  Fish  and  Fisheries,  who  was  directed  to  conduct 
investigations  concerning  the  facts  and  the  causes  of  the  alleged 
(lin^iinution  and  the  feasibihty  of  remedial  measures.  This  was  the 
l)eginning  of  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  effective  conservation  move- 
ments undertaken  by  the  P'ederal  Government. 

Until  July  1,  lOO.S,  the  establishment  was  independent,  reporting 
du'ectly  to  Congress,  and  was  known  as  the  United  States  Commission 
of  Fish  and  Fisheries,  but  on  the  organization  of  the  Department  of 
Commerce  it  was  included  bylaw  in  the  new  Department  and  the 
name  was  changed  to  its  present  designation. 

The  original  conception  of  the  Bureau  was  a  body  for  scientific, 
statistical,  and  practical  investigation  of  the  fisheries,  and  that  phase 
of  its  work  always  has  been  prominent;  but  it  was  soon  found  that 
to  secure  the  practical  end  which  dictated  its  formation  it  should  be 
clothed  with  powers  to  make  its  own  findings  effective.  This  was 
in  part  accomplished  by  an  act  approved  June  10,  1872,  which  gave 
authority  for  the  pro])agation  of  food  fishes,  a  branch  of  the  service 
which  has  grown  until  at  present  it  constitutes  the  largest  part  of  the 
Bureau's  activities. 

Until  recently  the  Bureau  was  wholly  without  administrative  or 
executive  control  of  the  fisheries,  as  these  functions  are  vested  in  the 
several  States  within  whose  territorial  limits  the  fisheries  are  located. 
There  existed,  and  in  major  part  still  exists,  the  anomalous  condition 
of  an  organization  national  in  scope  but  performing  duties  of  local 
importance  which  is  without  power  to  give  dii"ect  efi'ect  to  some  of  its 
activities  or  to  adequately  protect  the  results  of  others.  This  con- 
dition has  caused  some  embarrassment  in  places,  and  has  often 
retarded  the  practical  application  of  the  results  of  investigations  and 
experiments,  but  on  the  whole  the  results  are  better  than  might  be 
expected  and  in  many  cases  are  highly  satisfactory.  Acting  in  an 
advisory  capacity,  the  Bureau  has  been  able  to  exert  a  powerful 
mfluence  on  the  fisheries  legislation  of  the  States.  Local  authorities 
84 


BUEEAU   OF   FISHERIES.  35 


and  interests  hold  its  work  in  higli  regard,  ant],  appreciating  that  its 
advice  is  authoritative  and  disinterested,  frequently  seek  it.  Mem- 
bers of  its  staff  are  called  on  to  sei-ve  with  and  assist  State  commissions 
and,  frequently,  to  address  State  legislative  bodies  on  topics  con- 
nected with  the  admmistration  of  the  fisheries  and  to  assist  in  the 
(h-aftmg  of  State  fisheries  laws. 

The  published  reports  on  special  investigations  not  only  contain 
facts  the  knowledge  and  understanding  of  which  lie  at  the  root  of 
rational  conservation  of  the  aquatic  resources  of  the  States,  but  they 
often  contain  specific  recommendations  for  new  legislation  and  prac- 
tical criticisms  of  that  in  force.  These  suggestions  are  generally 
given  consideration  by  the  States.  They  are  often  enacted  into  law 
and  sometimes  induge  complete  changes  in  the  methods  of  admin- 
istering important  fisheries. 

By  an  order  of  the  Secretary  dated  February  15,  1905,  the  Bureau 
for  the  first  time  became  clothed  with  the  administration  and  enforce- 
ment of  fishery  laws  through  the  assumption  of  supervision  of  the 
salmon  fisheries  of  Alaska.  Subsequently  by  law  this  jurisdiction 
was  extended  to  all  of  the  fisheries  of  Alaska.  On  December  28, 
1908,  the  Alaskan  fur-seal  service,  which  since  the  formation  of  the 
Department  had  been  admuiistered  through  the  Secretary's  Office, 
was  transferred  to  the  Bureau;  and  in  1910,  by  act  of  Congress  and 
direction  of  the  Secretary,  supervision  was  assumed  over  all  of  the 
fur-bearing  animals  of  the  Territory. 

The  admhiistration  of  the  laws  regarding  Alaska  fish  and  fur-bear- 
ing animals  is  exercised  in  Federal  territory,  and  by  act  of  Congress 
in  1906  the  Department  became  charged  with  the  duty,  which  is  also 
exercised  through  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  of  controlling  in  certain 
respects  the  sponge  fishery  prosecuted  on  the  high  seas  off  the  coast 
of  Florida. 

In  addition  to  the  general  executive  duties  pei-formed  by  the 
Commissioner  of  Fish  and  Fisheries  and  the  Deputy  Commissioner, 
the  work  of  the  Bureau  is  organized  as  follows: 

Division  of  Administration. — This  division  of  the  service  is  under  the 
immediate  direction  of  the  assistant  in  charge  of  office,  and  exercises 
supervision  of  the  accounting  office,  the  office  of  the  architect  and 
engineer,  the  vessels  of  the  Bureau,  and  the  library,  records,  corre- 
spondence, and  property.  In  this  division  are  prepared  contracts  and 
land  deeds,  also  plans  and  specifications  for  fish-cultural  and  biological 
stations  and  their  related  structures,  and  for  engineering  work  in  gen- 
eral. It  is  responsible  for  the  purchase,  maintenance,  and  repair  of 
all  vessels  and  boats,  and  for  accountmg  relative  to  appropriations 
and  property. 

Division  of  Fish  Culture. — This  branch  of  the  service,  under  an 
assistant  in  charge,  has  direction  of  all  operations  connected  with  the 
artificial  propagation  and  distribution  of  fishes.     Its  practical  work 


36  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

in  1912  was  conducted  through  32  fish-cultural  stations  and  92  sub  or 
field  stations,  located  in  31  States  and  the  Territory  of  Alaska,  and  5 
specially  devised  railway  cars  engaged  in  (listril)uting  tlieir  product.  It 
is  the  endeavor  of  the  Bureau  to  hatch  and  plant  fishes  in  sufficiently 
large  numbers  to  compensate  for  the  depletion  of  the  natural  supply 
through  the  fisheries,  and  the  volume  of  its  output  has  steadily 
increased  until  in  1912  it  aggregated  over  3,687,000,000  fish  and  eggs. 
As  the  effects  of  fishing  are  more  markedly  manifested  in  circum- 
scribed waters,  most  of  the  hatcheries  are  located  in  the  interior,  wliere 
they  can  more  readily  supply  the  inland  lakes  and  streams,  but  some 
also  are  located  in  the  coastal  States  for  the  hatching  of  fishes,  such 
as  shad  and  salmon,  which  run  from  the  sea  into  the  rivers  for  the 
purpose  of  spawnuig,  and  directly  on  the  coast  for  the  propagation  of 
particularly  important  marine  species,  such  as  the  members  of  the 
cod  family,  flat-fishes,  and  lobsters.  These  operations  liave  materially 
benefited  some  fisheries  and  have  saved  others  from  extinction.  This 
division  has  also  carried  on  particularly  successful  work  in  introduc- 
ing valuable  fishes  in  waters  to  which  they  were  not  indigenous  and 
in  rescuing  fishes  from  overflowed  lands  where  the  recession  of  the 
waters  would  leave  them  stranded  to  die.  It  carries  on  its  work 
independently  or,  in  cases  where  public  interest  dictates,  in  coopera- 
tion with  the  States. 

Division  of  Inquiry  Respecting  Food  Fishes. — This  division,  under 
an  assistant  in  charge,  continues  the  work  for  which  the  Bureau  origi- 
nally was  instituted,  enlarged  to  meet  the  requirements  dictated  by 
experience.  The  scientific  work  comprehensively  covere  the  field  of 
aquatic  biology,  as  for  a  proper  understanding  of  the  requirements 
for  the  protection  and  fostering  of  the  fisheries  it  is  necessary  to  know 
not  only  the  complete  life  histories  of  species  of  direct  economic  A'^alue, 
but  also  the  habits  of  the  food  and  enemies  of  those  species  and  their 
relations  to  their  physical  and  biological  environments.  An  impor- 
tant feature  of  the  work  is  furnishing  advice  and  facts  relating  to 
fisheries  legislation  and  administration.  The  division  also  conducts 
investigations  and  experiments  tending  directly  to  the  increase  of 
economic  aquatic  anunals,  especially  those  wliich,  Hke  sponges, 
oysters,  mussels,  and  terrapin,  are  from  their  habits  and  nature  not 
susceptible  to  the  ordmary  methods  of  fish  culture,  and  in  this  way 
has  added  materially  to  the  value  of  the  fisheries. 

The  investigations  and  experiments  are  conducted  by  field  parties 
or  at  the  biological  stations,  of  which  there  are  two  on  the  Atlantic 
coast,  one  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  a  fourth  to  be  constructed  on 
the  Gulf  coast.  There  are  also  one  especially  equipped  steamer  for 
deep-sea  investigations,  one  for  coastal  work,  and  a  number  of  smaller 
craft  for  inshore  and  river  duty. 

The  small  permanent  pei'sonnel,  which  is  concerned  chiefly  with  the 
work  of  more  direct  economic  application,  is  supplemented  as  occasion 


BUEEAU    OF   FISHEEIES.  37 

requires  by  the  employment  of  experts  and  investigators  from  scien- 
tific institutions.  The  facilities  of  the  laboratories  are,  under  certain 
conditions,  extended  to  qualified  independent  investigators. 

Division  of  Statistics  and  Methods  of  the  Fisheries. — Under  the 
du'ection  of  an  assistant  in  charge,  this  division  ])erf"orms  another 
of  the  original  functions  of  the  Bureau.  The  first  duty  to  which 
the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  was  assigned,  namely,  the  investigation  of 
the  reported  decrease  of  food  fishes  in  New  England,  necessarily 
involved  the  collection  of  statistics  of  production,  personnel,  and 
capital.  Smce  that  time  tliis  branch  of  the  work  has  been  con- 
ducted without  interru])tion,  and  in  it  have  naturally  been  included 
the  various  other  subjects  affecting  the  economic  and  commercial 
aspects  of  the  fisheries.  Among  its  functions  are  (1)  a  general  survey 
of  the  commercial  fisheries  of  the  country;  (2)  a  study  of  the  fishery 
grounds  with  reference  to  their  extent,  resources,  yield,  and  con- 
dition; (3)  a  study  of  the  vessels  and  boats  employed  in  the  fisheries, 
with  special  reference  to  their  improvement;  (4)  a  determination 
of  the  utility  and  effect  of  the  apparatus  of  capture  employed  in 
each  fishery;  (5)  a  study  of  the  methods  of  fishing,  for  the  special 
purpose  of  suggesting  improvements  or  of  discovering  the  use  of 
unprofitable  or  unnecessarily  destructive  methods;  (6)  an  inquiry 
into  the  methods  of  utilizing  fishery  products,  the  means  and  methods 
of  transportation,  and  the  extent  and  condition  of  the  wholesale 
trade;  (7)  a  census  of  the  fishing  population,  their  economic  and 
hygienic  condition,  nativity,  and  citizenship;  (8)  a  study  of  inter- 
national questions  affecting  the  fisheries;  (9)  the  prosecution  of 
inquiries  regarding  the  fishing  apparatus  and  methods  of  foreign 
countries. 

Division  of  Alaska  Fisheries. — This  division  is  in  charge  of  an 
assistant  designated  as  chief,  and  consists  of  three  important  sub- 
divisions, namely,  the  fur-seal  service,  the  salmon  service,  and  the 
fur-bearing  animal  service. 

The  fur-seal  service  has  to  do  with  all  matters  j^ertaining  to  the 
fur  seals  of  Alaska  and  to  the  control  of  the  Pribilof  Islands.  The 
islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  George  were  set  aside  as  a  s])ecial  reserva- 
tion in  1869,  and  the  entire  group  in  1910,  and  have  since  been 
continuously  under  Government  supervision.  As  these  islands  are 
the  only  land  to  which  the  Alaskan  fur  seals  resort,  the  administra- 
tion of  the  fur-seal  service  is  concerned  primarily  with  the  care  and 
utilization  of  the  seals,  and,  secondarily,  with  the  maintenance  and 
education  of  the  native  inhabitants  of  the  islands,  the  care  and 
utilization  of  the  fox  herds,  and  the  })rotection  of  other  animals 
found  on  the  islands. 

The  sealing  ])rivilcgos  of  the  Pribilof  Islniuls  were  for  40  years 
leased  to  private  companies,  which  paid  to  the  Government  a  per 


3<S  DEPARTMENT    OF    COMMERCE. 

cai)ita  tax  on  each  seal  killed  ;  but  since  April,  1910,  the  Government 
has  had  in  its  own  char«^e  the  business  of  taking  and  marketing  seal- 
skins. The  seals  killed  for  their  pelts  and  for  food  for  the  natives  are 
surplus  males  two  or  three  years  old. 

The  representatives  of  the  Bureau  on  the  seal  islands  include 
agents,  physicians,  school-teachers,  and  a  naturalist.  The  agents 
are  charged  with  local  matters  of  administration  pertaining  to  the 
seals,  the  foxes,  the  natives,  and  other  interests.  The  naturalist 
has  immediate  direction  of  all  matters  relating  to  the  study  and 
conservation  of  the  seal  and  fox  herds,  as  well  as  to  the  education 
and  health  of  the  natives. 

Enforcement  of  the  laws  and  regulations  affecting  all  other  fur- 
bearing  animals  of  Alaska  was  imposed  on  the  Bureau  by  act  of 
Congress  of  April  21,  1910.  This  branch  of  the  service  has  at  present 
in  the  field  a  warden,  deputy  wardens,  and  special  wardens,  whose 
duties  are  to  see  that  the  laws  enacted  by  Congi-ess  and  the  regula- 
tions thereunder  for  the  protection  of  the  fur-bearing  animals  are 
observed;  to  make  observations  and  investigations  regarding  the 
abundance,  distribution,  and  habits  of  the  fiu*  animals,  their  food, 
diseases,  and  the  condition  of  the  fur  in  different  localities  at  different 
seasons;  and  to  insjiect,  so  far  as  is  possible,  the  furs  offered  for 
shipment  from  Alaska,  and  to  enforce  the  regulations  concerning 
shipments. 

The  salmon  service,  represented  in  Alaska  by  an  agent,  assistant 
agents,  and  an  inspector,  is  charged  with  the  enforcement  of  the 
laws  and  regulations  relating  to  the  salmon  and  other  fisheries  of 
Alaska,  and  with  the  inspection  of  fisheries,  canneries,  salteries, 
hatcheries,  and  other  similar  establishments.  Other  duties  of  this 
branch  are  to  make  such  investigations  and  exj)eriments  as  may  be 
desirable  or  necessary  for  the  improvement  and  conservation  of  the 
salmon  and  other  fisheries. 

The  publications  of  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  consist  of  four  series,  as 
follows:  (1)  The  annual  report  of  the  Commissioner  and  various 
special  reports  on  different  branches  of  the  work;  (2)  the  annual 
bulletin,  which  is  made  up  of  papers  on  miscellaneous  subjects,  fre- 
quently of  a  technical  nature;  (3)  economic  cii-culars,  consisting  of 
brief  advance  reports  upon  economic  subjects  to  be  more  elaborately 
treated  in  subsequent  papers,  or  containing  information  of  interest  to 
special  localities  or  industries;  (4)  statistical  bulletins  giving,  in  tabu- 
liir  form,  monthly  and  annual  statements  of  the  quantity  and  value 
of  fish  and  aquatic  products  landed  at  the  principal  fishing  centers. 

The  publications  under  the  control  of  the  Bureau  are  all  distributed 
in  pamphlet  fojiu  as  separate  papers.  The  bound  bulletins  are  con- 
gressional documents,  and  are  distributed  from  the  folding  rooms  of 
Congress. 


BUREAU    OF    FOREIGN    AND    DOMESTIC    COMMERCE. 

HISTORY. 

The  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce  was  created  by 
the  legislative,  executive,  and  judicial  appropriation  act  approved 
August  23,  1912,  which  consolidated  under  that  name  the  Bureau  of 
Manufactures  and  the  Bureau  of  Statistics.  This  action  by  Congress 
was  predicated  on  a  suggestion  emanating  from  the  Department, 
wliich  in  September,  1907,  appointed  a  committee  to  inquire  into  its 
statistical  work,  and  this  committee  after  a  very  extensive  inquiry 
recommended  "that  the  Bureau  of  Manufactures  and  the  Bureau  of 
Statistics  be  consolidated  into  one  bureau ;  and  that  the  bureau  thus 
formed  be  called  the  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce." 

BUREAU    OF    MANUFACTURES. 

The  Bureau  of  Manufactures  was  authorized  by  section  5  of  the  act 
of  February  14,  1903  (the  organic  act  of  the  Department),  in  response 
to  a  demand  which  had  long  since  grown  ()orsistent  for  a  Govern- 
ment ofhce  to  be  especially  charged  with  the  duty  of  fostering,  pro- 
moting, and  developing  the  manufacturing  industries  of  the  United 
States.  The  Bureau  was  organized  in  1904  and  at  once  commenced 
to  build  up  in  great  ]>art  the  service  described  on  succeeding  pages. 

BUREAU    OF    STATI.STU'S. 

The  Bun^aii  of  Statistics,  before  being  merged  into  tlie  Bureau  of 
Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce,  Inid  had  almost  a  centurv  of  devel- 
opment. 

The  Anlue  of  the  systc^niatic  and  careful  collection  of  information 
concerning  the  status  of  our  commerce  was  recognized  early  in  our 
liistory;  and,  in  response  to  resolutions  of  Congress,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  made  frequent  reports  on  the  subject,  which  were  sub- 
sequently collected  and  ])ublished  in  two  volumes  of  the  American 
State  Papers. 

By  act  of  Congress  a])])roved  February  10,  1820,  (he  regular  collec- 
tion and  ])ublicntion  of  statistics  of  our  fonugn  conunerce  was  under- 
taken. This  information  was  gathered  tln-ough  the  collectors  of 
customs,  and  there  was  organized  in  the  Treasury  Department  a 
division  of  conmierce  and  navigation,  which  collated  and  j)ublished 

3y 


40  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

the  information  thus  obtained.  Joint  rosohition  of  Congress  of  June 
15,  1844,  authorized  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  direct  the  col- 
lecting, arranging,  and  classifying  of  statistical  information  showing 
each  year  the  condition  of  agriculture  and  domestic  trade,  and  to 
report  on  these  subjects  annually. 

By  act  approved  July  28,  1866,  the  Bureau  of  Statistics,  wdth  a 
Director,  was  established  in  the  Treasury  Department.  The  former 
division  of  commerce  and  navigation  was  consolidated  with  the 
Bureau  of  Statistics,  and  a  broad  range  of  subjects  upon  which  to 
compile  statistics  was  proscribed.  The  act  of  July  20,  1868,  abolished 
the  office  of  Director,  provided  that  the  Special  Commissioner  of  the 
Revenue  should  superintend  the  Bureau,  and  provided  for  a  Deputy 
Special  (Commissioner  to  have  charge  of  the  Bureau  of  Statistics. 
The  office  of  Special  Commissioner  of  the  Revenue  expired  July  1, 
1870,  and  the  title  of  Chief  of  Bureau  of  Statistics  was  given  to  the 
officer  in  charge  and  aitenvards  authorized  by  law. 

The  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Statistics  was  enlarged  by  act  of  March 
3,  1875,  and  statistics  relating  to  the  internal  commerce  of  the  coun- 
try were  publislied  from  that  year  until  1912  under  special  aj)j)ro- 
priations. 

The  old  law  of  1820  omitted  statistics  relating  to  commerce  other 
than  that  borne  in  vessels,  but  the  act  of  March  3,  1893,  amending 
section  1  of  the  act  of  July  16,  1892,  remedied  this  by  providing  for 
statistics  of  exports  of  commodities  by  railways  and  land  carriages. 
By  act  approved  April  29, 1902,  the  work  of  the  Bureau  was  extended 
to  include  statistics  of  commerce  with  Alaska,  Porto  Rico,  Hawaii, 
Pliili})pine  Islands,  Guam,  and  other  noncontiguous  territory. 

BUREAU   OF   FOREIGN   COMMERCE   IN    THE    STATE   DEPARTMENT. 

By  the  act  of  February  14,  1903  (the  organic  act  of  the  Depart- 
ment), the  Bureau  of  Statistics  was  transferred  from  the  Treasury 
Department  to  the  new  Department,  from  and  after  July  1,  1903. 
The  same  act  provided  also  for  the  transfer  of  the  Bureau  of  For- 
eign Commerce  from  the  wState  Department  and  for  its  consolidation 
with  tlie  Bureau  of  Statistics,  the  two  to  constitute  one  bureau  to  be 
called  the  Bureau  of  Statistics.  By  authority  of  section  11  of  the 
act  the  Bureau  of  Trade  Relations  was  organized  in  the  State  Depart- 
ment for  the  formulation  and  transmission. of  correspondence  between 
the  new  Department  and  consular  officers. 

The  Bureau  of  Foreign  Commerce  was,  until  July  1,  1897,  the 
Bureau  of  Statistics  of  the  Dej)artment  of  State.  Owing  to  the  con- 
fusion arising  from  the  fact  that  there  was  also  a  Bureau  of  Statistics 
in  the  Treasury  De]>artment  and  a  Division  of  ^Statistics  in  the 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Congress  authorized  the  change  of  the 


BUREAU   OF   FOREIGN   AND   DOMESTIC   COMMERCE.  41 

name  to  Bureau  of  Foreign  Commerce  on  July  1,  1897,  this  name 
more  clearly  indicating  the  functions  of  the  Bureau. 

The  Bureau  had  its  origin  in  an  act  of  Congress  approved  August 
16,  1842,  which  made  it  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  of  State  "to  lay 
before  Congress,  annually,  at  the  commencement  of  its  session,  in  a 
compendious  form,  all  such  changes  and  modifications  in  the  com- 
mercial systems  of  other  nations,  whether  by  treaties,  duties  on  im- 
ports and  exports,  or  other  regulations,  as  shall  have  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  Department."  In  a  communication  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Senate,  February  4,  1857  (Ex.  Doc.  No.  35,  34th  Cong.,  3d 
sess.).  Secretary  of  State  Marcy  called  attention  to  a  previous  state- 
ment (in  1855)  in  which  he  said  that  "but  three  attempts  had  been 
made  to  comply  with  the  requisitions  of  the  act  of  1842;  the  first  by 
Mr.  Secretary  Webster  in  1842,  the  second  by  Mr.  Secretary  Upshur 
in  1843,  and  the  third,  and  last,  by  ^Ir.  Secretary  Calhoun,  in  1844." 
IVIr.  Webster,  in  1842,  recommended  to  Congress  that  the  work  "be 
intrusted  to  one  person,  under  the  direction  of  the  Department,  who 
should  arrange  and  condense  information  on  commercial  subjects 
from  time  to  time,  as  it  should  be  received,  and  should  have  charge 
of  the  correspondence  on  these  subjects  with  agents  of  the  Govern- 
ment abroad." 

No  action  was  taken  by  Congress  until  14  years  later.  By  an  act 
approved  August  18, 1856  (11  Stat.,  62),  the  act  of  1842  was  amended 
so  as  to  make  it  obligatory  upon  tlie  Secretary  of  State,  in  addition  to 
changes  and  modifications  in  the  commercial  systems  of  other  nations, 
to  include  in  his  annual  report  to  Congress  "all  other  commercial 
information  communicated  to  the  State  Department  by  consular  and 
diplomatic  agents  of  this  Government  abroad,  or  contained  in  the 
official  publications  of  other  Governments,  which  he  shall  deem  suffi- 
ciently important."  It  was  further  declared  to  be  the  duty  of  consuls 
and  commercial  agents  to  procure  such  information  in  such  manner 
and  at  such  times  as  the  Department  of  State  might  prescribe,  and  the 
Secretary  of  State  was  "authorized  and  required  to  appoint  one  clerk 
who  shall  have  charge  of  statistics  in  said  department  and  shall  be 
called  'Superintendent  of  Statistics.'" 

"Thus,"  says  Secretary  Marcy,  in  his  letter  of  February  4,  1857, 
"the  'Statistical  Office  of  the  Department  of  State,'  which  had  been 
organized  two  years  before  for  the  preparation  of  a  general  Rejiort  on 
the  Commercial  Relations  of  the  United  States  with  Foreign  Nations, 
in  answer  to  a  resolution  of  the  House  of  Rej)resentatives,  was,  by  that 
law,  placed  on  a  permanent  basis." 

The  "Bureau  of  Statistics"  was  substituted  for  the  "Statistical 
Office,"  July  1,  1874,  under  authority  conferred  by  the  legislative, 
executive,  and  judicial  appropriation  act  of  June  20,  1874,  in  an  item 


42  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

providinfj  a  salaiy  of  $"2,400  each  for  six  chiefs  of  bui-eau,  inchuhno: 
one  of  Statistics. 

Until  October  1,  1S80,  the  duties  of  the  Bureau  were  restricted  to 
the  preparation  of  annual  and  occasional  re])orts  from  consular  offi- 
cers, but  on  that  date  tlie  publication  of  the  montlily  Consular 
Reports  was  begun,  in  ])ursuance  of  a  recommendation  of  Secretary 
of  State  Evarts,  in  response  to  wiiich  Congress,  at  the  previous 
session,  had  made  provision  ''for  printing  ami  distributing  more 
frequently  the  ])ublications  by  the  Department  of  State  of  the  con- 
sular and  other  reports."  The  daily  publication  of  consular  reports 
was  begun  Januaiy  1,  1898,  by  order  of  the  Secretary  of  State  of 
December  7,  1897. 

W^ORK    OF   THE    BUREAU. 

Broadly,  the  function  of  tlie  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic 
Commerce  is  to  promote  commerce  and  manufacturing  b}^  collecting 
and  distributing  information  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  commercial 
interests.  In  carrying  out  this  function  advantage  is  taken  of  the 
relations  of  the  Bureau  with  many  other  branches  of  the  Federal 
service. 

Consular  reports. — Use  is  made  especially  of  the  consular  service, 
through  the  Department  of  State,  to  obtain  reports  on  the  current 
development  of  the  trade  of  foreign  countries  and  opportunities  for 
the  sale  abroad  of  articles  produced  in  the  United  States.  This 
material  is  edited  in  the  Bureau  and  distributed  to  the  commercial 
public  by  means  of  the  Daily  Consular  and  Trade  Reports,  the  annual 
volume  called  the  "Commei'cial  Relations  of  the  United  States," 
special  bulletins  and  })amphlets,  and  confidential  circulars  or  letters. 

Commercial  agents. — Further,  the  Bureau  is  equipped  with  a  corps 
of  field  agents,  called  commercial  agents,  who  supplement  tlie  work 
of  consular  officers  through  special  investigations  for  which  they  are 
fitted  by  training  or  experience  in  various  branches  of  commerce. 
These  special  investigations  cover  a  wide  range  of  subjects,  such  as 
the  trade  in  cotton  textiles,  cottonseed  products,  machinery,  lumber, 
boots  and  shoes  and  other  leather  goods,  chemical  products,  and  other 
articles  of  domestic  manufacture  or  export. 

Foreign  tariffs. — To  supplement  this  volume  of  commercial  infor- 
mation there  are  distributed  accurate  statements  concerning  the 
customs  tariffs  of  foreign  countries,  a  work  which  is  carried  on  cur- 
rently by  the  Division  of  Foreign  Tariffs.  Not  only  are  translations 
of  these  tariffs  made  and  published  at  frequent  intervals,  but  through 
consular  reports  and  from  other  official  sources  there  is  maintained  a 
record  of  the  existing  regulations  with  respect  to  customs  charges  in 
all  foreign  countries. 

The  tariff  publications  of  the  Bureau  usually  present  either  a  com- 
plete tariff  of  a  particular  country  or  the  rates  on  a  particular  group 


BUREAU   OF   FOREIGN   AND  DOMESTIC   COMMERCE.  43 

of  articles  as  applied  in  various  countiies.  As  far  as  possible  these 
published  editions  of  foreij^n  tariffs  are  revised  to  date,  and,  in  addi- 
tion, changes  in  foreign  tariffs  are  noted  in  the  Daily  (.V)nsular  and 
Trade  Reports  and  are  reprinted  in  special  pamphlets  entitled  "For- 
eign Tariff  Notes."  The  Bureau,  by  virtue  of  its  close  relations  with 
American  consular  officers,  and  its  files  of  the  current  official  publi- 
cations of  foreign  countries,  possesses  exceptional  facilities  for  keep- 
ing informed  as  to  tariff  rates  and  customs  formalities  incident  to  the 
entry  of  goods  into  foreign  countries. 

Commercial  statistics. — Statistical  information  in  regard  to  imports 
and  exports  is  received  by  the  Bureau  in  monthly  returns  from  the 
collectors  of  customs,  showing  the  principal  articles  imported  and 
exported,  stating  quantities  where  possible  and  values  in  all  cases; 
the  countries  from  which  each  article  or  group  of  articles  was  imported 
and  to  which  each  article  or  group  of  articles  was  exported.  These 
statements  are  printed  primarily  in  the  Monthly  Summary  of  Com- 
merce antl  Finance  and  distributed  to  individuals  and  firms  engaged 
in  commerce,  to  commercial  organizations,  educational  institutions, 
and  libraries,  and  to  such  commercial  and  other  newspapers  of  the 
country  as  may  request  the  same. 

Other  tables  of  imports,  much  more  complete  in  detail  are  pub- 
lished quarterly,  showing  the  quantity  and  value  of  the  imports  en- 
tered for  consumption,  the  rate  of  duty,  and  the  duty  collected 
on  each  article  or  group  of  articles;  and  these  quarterly  statements 
are  subsequently  presented  in  the  form  of  an  annual  statement. 
This  statement  of  merchandise  imported  for  consumption  includes: 
(1)  The  merchandise  entered  for  consumption  and  duty  paid  upon  its 
arrival  at  the  port,  and  (2)  merchandise  withdrawn  from  warehouse 
for  consumption  on  payment  of  duty.  Merchandise  entering  the 
country  and  deposited  in  warehouse  is  not  included  in  the  statement 
of  imports  for  consumption  unless  subsequently  "withdrawn  from 
warehouse. 

The  Monthly  Summaiy  also  contains  tables  showing  the  principal 
articles  forming  the  trade  between  the  United  States  and  its  non- 
contiguous territories — Alaska,  Porto  Rico,  Hawaii,  the  Philippine 
Islands,  Guam,  and  Tutuila. 

Annual  statements  of  the  commerce  of  the  United  States  present- 
ing trade  movements  in  much,  greater  detail  than  those  of  the 
Monthly  Summary  of  Commerce  and  Finance  are  published  in  a  vol- 
ume entitled  "Commerce  and  Navigation  of  the  United  States." 
This  volume  shows  m  great  detail  the  trade  by  articles  and  countries, 
stating  the  countries  from  which  each  article  or  class  of  articles  was 
imported  and  to  which  each  article  or  class  of  articles  was  exported 
during  a  five-year  period;  also  statements  showing  the  movements  of 
merchandise  and  of  gold  and  silver  by  customs  districts,  the  imports 


44  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

for  consumption,  and  other  stntoments  sliowing  details  of  the  trade 
raovenicnts  witii  foreign  countries  an«l  with  tho  noncontiguous  terri- 
tories for  a  term  of  years. 

The  Statistical  Abstract  of  the  United  States,  a  volume  of  about 
800  Images,  presents  in  condensed  form  statements  reganling  the  com- 
merce, production,  industries,  popuhxtion,  finance,  currency,  indebted- 
ness, and  wealth  of  the  countr}',  and.  includes  in  addition  to  the  com- 
pilations made  by  the  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce 
the  more  important  statistical  data  compiled  by  other  branches  of 
the  Government,  and  with  this  a  condensed  statement  of  the  commerce 
of  the  principal  foreign  countries.     It  is  published  annually. 

Specific  opportunities  to  extend  trade. — Specific  opportunities  for  the 
extension  of  American  trade,  transmitted  by  consuls,  are  published 
in  the  Daily  Consular  and  Trade  Reports  under  the  title  ''Foreign 
trade  opportunities."  Notes  relative  to  opportunities  for  the  sale  of 
American  manufactures  to  the  Federal  Government  are  also  published 
under  the  heading  "Proposals  for  Government  supplies." 

Plans  and  specifications  for  public  and  private  works  in  foreign 
countries,  as  well  as  samples  of  articles  for  which  a  demand  has  been 
or  may  be  created,  often  accompany  reports  by  consular  officei-s 
and  commerical  agents.  Announcement  of  the  receipt  of  these  is 
made  in  the  Daily  Consular  and  Trade  Reports,  and  circulation  of 
them  is  made  by  the  Bureau,  an  endeavor  being  matlo  to  reach  as 
soon  as  possible  the  manufacturers  likely  to  be  interested. 

The  Bureau  coo])erates  with  repi-esentative  trade  organizations  by 
conferences  with  their  ofTicers,  by  the  use  of  membership  lists  for 
the  distribution  of  confidential  information,  and  by  filing  with 
them  plans  and  sjiecifications  for  work  relating  to  the  industry  or 
industries  represented  by  such  organizations.  Numetous  individual 
requests  for  information  from  American  manufacturers  and  exportei-s 
receive  attention  and  endeavor  is  made  to  supply  promptly  all 
material  in  possession  of  the  Bureau  on  a  particular  subject. 

All  of  the  trade  information  received  is  carefully  indexed,  and  the 
Bur(niu  has  a  record  of  reports  on  most  lines  of  trade  in  foreign 
countries,  and  when  requests  for  data  on  any  particular  Une  are 
received  search  is  made  through  these  records  and  all  information 
available  is  furnished.  If  a  subject  as  to  which  information  is  sought 
is  one  of  importance  and  interest  to  a  number  of  concerns,  such  con- 
cerns are  invited  to  submit  a  list  of  questions  covering  the  facts  de 
sired,  and  these  inquiries  are  sent  to  American  consuls  throughout 
the  world.  The  results  of  these  inquiries  are  subsequently  published 
and  distributed  by  the  Bureau. 

The  Bureau  has  also  issued  a  dhectory  of  1,138  quarto  pages  con- 
taining the  names  of  about  125,000  individuals  and  firms  in  foreign 


BUREAU    OF   FOREIGN   AND   DOMESTIC    COMMERCE.  45 

countries  engaged  in  the  import  trade,  classified  by  countries  and 
by  industries.  Supplements  will  be  issued  from  time  to  time  making 
corrections  and  additions. 

The  bulletins  and  monographs  of  the  Bureau  on  special  statistical 
and  commercial  subjects  now  number  several  hundred  titles,  and  cover 
a  wide  range  of  trade  matters. 

Domestic  trade  development. — Although  the  law  provides  for  the 
promotion  and  development  of  trade  at  home  and  abroad,  work  has 
thus  far,  in  largo  measure  been  devoted  to  recording  and  extending  the 
foreign  trade  of  the  United  States.  The  work  of  domestic  commercial 
development  is  now  being  taken  up  actively,  and  is  destined  to  become 
an  extremely  important  branch  of  the  service  of  the  office. 

The  yearly  exports  of  manufactures  to  foreign  countries  are  now 
about  5  per  cent  of  the  total  of  20,000  million  dollars'  worth  pro- 
duced m  the  United  States  annually.  The  factors  of  commercial 
promotion  and  development  related  to  the  domestic  production,  dis- 
tribution, and  consumption  of  manufactures  which  are  of  legitimate 
interest  to  the  Bureau  are  very  numerous  and  worthy  of  extensive 
investigation  and  publicity. 

The  Bureau  has  already  entered  this  field  with  its  commercial 
agents  and  will  extend  its  researches  and  add  to  its  publications  as 
rapidly  as  practicable.  Commercial  and  manufacturers'  organiza- 
tions have  been  studied,  and  a  report  has  been  published  dealing  with 
the  promotive  activities  of  70  representative  organizations.  Com- 
mercial museums  and  expositions,  commercial  education,  methods 
of  distribution  of  manufactured  products,  standards  of  credit, 
quality  and  sources  of  raw  materials,  and  similar  subjects  await 
study  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  Bureau,  as  outlined  in  the  law. 


BUREAU  OF  LIGHTHOUSES. 

The  first  lighthouse  on  tliis  continent  was  built  in  1715-16,  at  the 
entrance  to  Boston  Harbor,  by  the  Province  of  Massachusetts,  and 
was  supported  by  hght  dues  on  all  incoming  and  outgoing  vessels, 
except  coastei-s.  Several  other  Ughthouses  were  built  by  the  colonies. 
Congress  by  the  act  of  August  7,  1789,  authorized  the  maintenance  of 
lighthouses  and  other  aids  to  navigation  at  the  expense  of  the  United 
States.  There  were  at  that  date  eight  lights  in  operation,  mamtained 
by  the  colonies.  These,  together  with  others  completed  later,  tliir- 
teen  in  all,  were  cetled  to  the  General  Government  by  the  States. 

The  maintenance  of  lighthouses,  buoys,  etc.,  was  placed  under  the 
Treasury  Department,  and  up  to  1820  was  directed  personally  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  except  for  two  intervals,  when  supervision 
was  assigned  by  him  to  the  Commissioner  of  Revenue.  In  1820  the 
sui)crintendence  of  the  Hghts  devolved  upon  the  Fifth  Auditor  of  the 
Treasury,  who  was  popularly  known  as  the  General  wSuperintendent 
of  Lights,  and  who  continued  in  charge  thereof  until  1852,  when  the 
United  States  Lighthouse  Board,  consisting  of  officers  of  the  Navy 
and  Army,  ami  civihans,  was  organized,  with  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  as  ex  officio  president  of  the  Board.  The  Board  selected 
from  its  own  number  a  member  to  act  as  chairman. 

The  Lighthouse  Service  was  transferred  to  the  Department  of 
Commerce  on  July  1,  1903.  On  July  1,  1910,  the  Lighthouse  Board 
was  terminated,  and  the  present  Bureau  of  Lighthouses  established. 
In  this  Bureau  four  officers  are  appointed  by  the  President — a  Com- 
missioner of  Lighthouses,  a  Deputy  Commissioner,  a  Cliief  Construct- 
ing Engineer,  and  a  Superintendent  of  Naval  Construction. 

The  United  States  Lighthouse  vService  is  charged  \vith  the  estab- 
hshment  and  maintenance  of  aids  to  navigation,  and  with  aU  ecjuip- 
ment  and  work  incident  thereto,  on  the  sea  and  lake  coasts  of  tlie 
United  States,  on  the  rivers  of  the  United  States,  and  on  the  coasts 
of  aU  other  territory  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Pliihppine  Islands  and  Panama.  The  juris- 
(Uction  of  the  Lighthouse  wServicc  over  rivers  not  included  in  tidewater 
navigation  is  restricted  to  such  as  are  specifically  authorized  by  law; 
these  now  include  practically  all  the  important  navigable  rivers  and 
lakes  of  the  country. 

All  the  work  of  establisliing  and  maintaining  the  aids  to  navigation 

under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Lighthouse  vService  is  performed  directly 

by  that  Service  through  the  district  organizations,  with  the  exception 

of  a  few  minor  aids  which  are  maintained  by  contract,  and  with  the 

4G 


BUEEAU   OF   LIGHTHOUSES.  47 

exception  of  the  American  Samoan  Islands  and  Guantanamo  Bay, 
Cuba,  where  the  aids  are  maintained  through  the  local  authorities. 
The  Lighthouse  Service  also  has  supervision  over  the  estabhshment 
and  maintenance  of  private  aids  to  navigation. 

There  is  an  office  in  Washington,  wliich  is  the  executive  center  of 
the  Service,  under  the  Commissioner  of  Lighthouses  and  the  Deputy 
Commissioner.  There  are  in  this  office  an  engineering  construction 
division,  under  the  Cliief  Constructing  Engineer;  a  naval  construction 
division,  under  the  Superintendent  of  Naval  Construction;  a  hydro- 
graphic  division,  under  an  assistant  engineer,  and  the  general  office 
force,  under  the  chief  clerk. 

The  Service  outside  of  Wasliington  is  divided  into  nineteen  hght- 
house  districts,  each  of  wliich  is  under  the  charge  of  a  lighthouse 
ins})ector.  In  each  district  there  is  a  central  office  at  a  location 
selected  on  account  of  either  its  maritime  importance  or  its  geograph- 
ical position,  and  there  are  also  one  or  more  lighthouse  depots  located 
conveniently  for  can'}ang  on  the  work  of  the  district,  in  the  matter 
of  storing  and  distributing  suppKes  and  apparatus.  Each  district 
is  pro\^ded  A\dth  one  or  more  lighthouse  tenders  for  the  purpose  of 
distributing  supplies  to  the  various  stations  and  light  vessels  and  for 
transportation  of  materials  for  construction  or  repair,  for  the  placing 
and  care  of  the  buoyage  system  in  the  district,  and  for  transporting 
the  inspector  and  other  officers  of  the  Service  on  official  inspections 
of  stations  and  vessels  and  on  other  official  duty. 

In  addition  to  the  various  district  depots,  there  is  in  the  Third 
lighthouse  district,  on  Staten  Island,  New  York  Harbor,  a  general 
Hghthouse  depot,  where  many  of  the  supphes  for  the  whole  Service 
are  purchased  and  stored  and  sent  out  for  cUstribution,  and  where 
much  of  the  special  apparatus  of  the  Service  is  manufactured  or 
repaired,  and  where  also  there  is  carried  on  various  teclmical  work 
in  the  way  of  testing  apparatus  and  supplies  and  designing  or  improv- 
ing apparatus. 

On  June  30,  1912,  there  were  44  regular  lighthouse  tendei-s  in  com- 
mission, and  the  Service  maintained  light  vessels  at  51  stations; 
having  for  this  purpose  65  light  vessels,  of  which  14  were  relief  vessels, 
luukmg  a  total  of  109  vessels.  The  number  of  employees  was  5,534, 
and  the  number  and  classes  of  aids  to  navigation  maintained  by  the 
Service  were  as  follows : 

Lighted  aids: 

Lights  (other  tlum  jjost  lights) 1, 475 

Post  liglits 2,  552 

Light-^'es.sel  stations 51 

Gas  buoys 346 

Float  lights 92 

Total 4,  516 


48  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

Unlighted  aids: 

Fog  signals 510 

Submarine  signals 43 

Whistling  buoys,  unlighted 84 

Bell  buoys,  unlighted 205 

Other  buoys 5,  992 

Day  beacons 1, 474 

Total 8,  308 

Grand  total 12,  824 

The  number  of  private  aids  to  navigation  maintained  was  507. 

The  appropriations  made  by  Congress  for  the  general  maintenance 
of  the  Lighthouse  Service  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1913, 
amount  to  $5,037,410;  the  appropriations  made  for  special  works  are 
$526,500.  The  average  appropriations  for  special  works  for  the  ten 
preceding  yeare,  1903  to  1912,  inclusive,  amounted  to  $1,028,450  per 
year.  The  special  works  mclude  new  lighthouses,  fog  signals,  tenders, 
light  vessels,  and  depots,  and  extensive  improvements  or  rebuilding 
of  these. 

A  report  of  the  operations  of  the  Lighthouse  Service  is  submitted 
annually  b}^  the  Commissioner  of  lighthouses  to  the  Secretary  of 
C'ommerce  and  transmitted  to  Congress.  The  Service  also  publishes 
Weekly  Notices  to  Mariners  (jointly  with  the  Coast  and  Geodetic 
Survey),  Light  Lists  for  the  various  coasts,  and  Buoy  Lists  for  each 
lighthouse  district.     These  publications  are  distributed  free. 


BUREAU  OF  NAVIGATION. 

The  recognized  need  of  uniform  regulation  of  navigation  and 
sliipping  was  one  of  the  reasons  for  the  formation  of  a  more  perfect 
union  of  the  States,  and  the  third  act  of  the  Fii"st  Congress,  passed 
July  20,  1789,  provided  for  imposing  duties  on  the  tonnage  of  vessels. 
This  was  followed  on  September  1,  1789,  by  the  act  for  the  registering 
and  clearing  of  vessels  and  regulating  the  coasting  trade,  which  is 
still  the  foundation  of  the  navigation  laws  and  policy  of  the  United 
States.  Succeeding  Congresses  have  built  on  this  foundation  a  sys- 
tem of  laws  designed  to  meet  the  growth  and  variety  of  conditions  of 
our  water-borne  commerce,  with  increasing  regard  in  the  course  of 
yeare  to  the  safety  of  life. 

The  field  force  for  the  administration  of  these  laws  from  the 
bpiginning  of  our  Government  has  consisted  of  collectors  and  sur- 
veyors  of  customs,  with  their  deputies  and  inspectors,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  acting  at  Washington 
originally  through  the  Register  of  the  Treasury  in  the  matter  of 
documents  of  vessels  and  through  the  Navigation  Division  of  the 
Customs  Service  in  the  administration  of  other  features  of  the  navi- 
gation laws.  By  the  act  of  July  5,  1884,  the  Bureau  of  Navigation, 
with  a  Commissioner  and  Deputy  Commissioner,  was  established. 
This  Bureau  was  transferred  to  the  Department  of  Commerce  July  1 , 
1903,  by  the  act  of  Febi-uary  14,  1903,  and  to  the  Secretary  of  Com- 
merce were  transferred  all  the  duties,  power,  authority,  and  juris- 
diction previously  conferred  upon  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by 
acts  of  Congress  relating  to  merchant  vessels  or  yachts,  their  meas- 
urement, numbers,  names,  registers,  enrollments,  licenses,  commis- 
sions, records,  mortgages,  bills  of  sale,  transfers,  entry,  clearance, 
movements  and  transportation  of  their  cargoes  and  passengers, 
owners,  officers,  seamen,  passengers,  fees,  inspection,  equipment  for 
\he  better  security  of  life,  and  b}^  acts  of  Congress  relating  to  tonnage 
tax,  boilers  on  steam  vessels,  the  carrying  of  inflammable,  explosive, 
or  dangerous  cargo  on  vessels,  the  use  of  petroleum  or  other  similar 
substances  to  produce  motive  power,  and  relating  to  the  remission 
or  refund  of  fines,  penalties,  forfeitures,  exactions,  or  charges  in- 
curred for  violating  any  provision  of  law  relating  to  vessels  or 
seamen. 

The  Bureau  of  Navigation  by  law  has  general  supervision  of  the 
merchant  marine  and  of  merchant  seamen  except  in  so  far  as  special 
lines  of  work  are  assigned  to  the  Steamboat-Inspection  Service  and 
the  Public  Health  Service. 

49 


50  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

The  Commissioner  is  specially  charged  with  the  decision  of  all 
questions  relating  to  the  issue  of  registers,  enrollments,  and  licenses 
of  approximately  26,000  vessels  of  the  United  States,  ranging  from 
trans-Atlantic  liners  to  motor  boats.  The  Bureau  prepares  and 
publishes  annually  a  list  of  these  vessels,  showing  some  details  of 
construction  and  the  home  port,  and  a  separate  list  of  seagoing  ves- 
sels showing  signal  letters,  names  of  owners,  signal  code,  etc.  The 
changes  in  the  names  of  these  vessels  are  governed  by  statute  and 
are  made  through  the  Bureau. 

Entries  of  vessels  at  ports  of  the  United  States  in  foreign  trade 
number  annually  about  30,000,  with  a  corresponding  number  of 
clearances,  and  disputed  questions  relating  to  these  movements  are 
decided  by  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  through  the  Commissioner  of 
Navigation. 

JNIeasurement  of  vessels  to  ascertain  the  basis  upon  which  Federal 
tonnage  taxes  and  various  other  charges — State,  municipal,  and  pri- 
vate— are  assessed  is  also  conducted  by  customs  authorities  under 
the  direction  of  the  Bureau. 

Tonnage  taxes  collected  annually  on  entries  amount  in  round 
numbei-s  to  about  $1,000,000,  and  the  decisions  of  the  Commissioner 
of  Navigation  on  tliis  subject  by  statute  are  made  final. 

Among  the  special  laws  enforced  through  this  Bureau  are: 

(1)  Those  governing  radio  communication  enacted  June  24,  1910, 
July  23,  1912,  and  August  13,  1912,  which  cover  wireless  telegraph 
stations  both  on  shipboard  and  in  the  United  vStates  so  far  as  they 
affect  intei-state  and  foreign  commerce.  For  administrative  purposes, 
the  country  has  been  divided  into  nine  districts  and  inspectoi-s  ap- 
pointed for  each  district.  These  laws  as  well  as  those  covering  other 
items  of  equipment  and  the  navigation  of  vessels  are  intended  to 
safeguard  life  and  property. 

(2)  The  passenger  act  of  1882,  designed  to  promote  the  safety  and 
comfort  of  steerage  passengers  arriving  in  and  departing  from  the 
United  States,  numbering  over  a  million  a  year. 

(3)  The  motor-boat  act  of  June  9,  1910,  which  aims  to  secure 
obedience  to  the  principles  of  navigation  involved  in  the  "rules  of 
the  road"  and  to  prevent  risk  of  life  through  fire  or  water  on  small 
motor  craft,  already  numbering  approximately  200,000. 

(4)  Regulations  governing  the  anchorage  of  vessels  in  the  harbor 
of  New  York  and  other  ports;  the  transit  of  vessels  through  the 
improved  watere  of  St.  Marys  River,  where  the  navigation  movement 
is  greater  than  that  through  the  Suez  Canal;  and  for  the  patrol  of 
crowded  waters  during  regattas  and  marine  parades.  Regulations 
are  formulated  by  the  Bureau,  under  the  direction  of  the  Secretary 
of  Commerce,  and  then  enforced  by  revenue  cutters  and  other 
patrol  boats. 


BUEEAU   OF   NAVIGATION.  51 

(5)  Laws  concerning  neutrality,  so  far  as  they  relate  to  offenses 
which  are  involved  in  the  clearance  of  any  vessel  fitted  out  or  built  for 
warlike  purposes  or  the  transportation  of  recruits,  arms,  or  munitions 
of  war  by  water. 

(6)  The  coastwise  laws,  designed  to  reservre  to  American  vessels 
the  transportation  of  cargo  and  passengers  in  the  domestic  commerce 
of  the  United  States. 

Appeals  from  the  rulings  of  collectors  of  customs  imposing  fines, 
penalties,  and  forfeitures  on  vessels  and  their  owners  or  masters  are 
decided  by  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  after  prelimmary  investigation 
and  preparation  of  the  evidence  and  facts  by  the  Commissioner  of 
Navigation,  involving  a  knowledge  of  precedents,  construction  of 
statutes,  decisions  of  the  courts,  and  the  practical  necessities  of  the 
shipping  interests  as  they  relate  to  safety  to  life  and  property  and  the 
promotion  of  commerce. 

The  remuneration  of  collectors,  and  in  many  instances  surveyors, 
is  based  partly  on  services  rendered  to  vessels,  for  which  specific  fees 
were  formerly  provided  and  are  still  the  basis  on  which  such  remuner- 
ation is  paid.  The  accounts  for  these  services,  in  so  far  as  they 
involve  navigation  matters,  have  administrative  audit  by  the  Bureau, 
after  which  they  are  transmitted  to  the  Auditor  for  the  State  and 
other  Departments  for  settlement. 

The  Government  of  the  United  States,  in  accord  with  ancient  mari- 
time custom,  exercises  supervision  over  the  contracts  between  the 
owners  and  masters  of  vessels  and  the  seamen,  in  order,  so  far  as  pos- 
sible, to  secure  substantial  justice  in  case  of  dispute,  without  recourse 
to  the  courts.  For  this  purpose  shipping  commissioners  are  appointed 
at  the  principal  seaports  and  at  other  seaports  collectors  of  customs 
act  as  shipping  commissioners  under  the  general  supervision  of  the 
Commissioner  of  Navigation.  The  laws  thus  enforced  also  cover  the 
shipment  and  discharge  of  seamen,  all  papers  relating  to  the  crew, 
their  wages,  scale  of  provisions,  etc.  At  17  principal  seaports 
upward  of  350,000  seamen  in  round  numbers  (countmg  repeated 
voyages)  are  thus  shipped  and  discharged  under  Government  super- 
vision. 

The  laws  administered  through  and  by  the  Bureau  of  Navigation, 
which  are  compiled  every  four  years  by  the  Commissioner  of  Navi- 
gation, whose  duty  it  is  to  investigate  the  operation  of  these  laws 
and  to  recommend  to  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  particulars  in  which 
they  should  be  amended  or  improved,  are  published  quadrennially 
in  a  separate  volume  entitled  "Navigation  Laws  of  the  United 
States,"  to  which  a  supplement  is  issued  annually  upon  the  adjourn- 
ment of  Congress.  The  volume  includes  the  laws  relating  to  the  reg- 
istry, enrollment,  and  license,  official  numbers,  and  names  of  merchant 
vessels  and  vessels  engaged  in  the  fisheries,  undocumented  vessels, 


52  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

and  yachts ;  admeasurement  laws  for  ascertaining  gross  and  net  ton- 
nage, crew  accommodations,  and  propelling  power;  detailed  statutory 
requirements  concerning  the  issue  of  marine  documents,  bills  of  sale, 
mortgages,  and  records;  laws  relating  to  the  officers  and  crews  of 
merchant  vessels,  including  those  which  govern  agreements,  shipment 
and  discharge,  offenses  and  punishments,  legal  scale  of  provisions, 
and  return  and  relief  of  distressed  seamen;  the  laws  to  determine 
seaworthiness  and  inspection,  proWsions,  medicines,  and  log  books, 
and  statutes  fixing  the  liability  of  owners,  masters,  and  shijjpers;  the 
passenger  act  of  1882  with  amendments,  prescribing  measures  in 
detail  for  the  comfort  of  steerage  passengers ;  the  general  pilot  laws, 
laws  governing  motor  boats,  and  provisions  concerning  tonnage 
duties,  discrimination,  and  retaliation;  statutes  governing  entry  and 
clearance,  manifests,  boarding  and  search  of  vessels;  the  laws  con- 
cerning the  coasting  trade,  and  particular  statutes  affecting  trade  with 
Hawaii,  Porto  Rico,  Alaska,  the  Philippmes,  and  the  Canal  Zone;  the 
power  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  to  mitigate  and  remit  penalties 
incurred  by  the  owners  and  masters  of  vessels ;  the  statutory  rules  to 
prevent  collisions  of  vessels  on  the  ocean,  on  inland  waters,  the  Great 
Lakes,  and  the  Mississippi  and  tributaries,  and  those  defining  the 
powers  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  over  the  anchorage  and  move- 
ments of  vessels ;  the  regulation  of  radio  communication ;  the  appoint- 
ment of  shipping  commissioners  and  radio  inspectors,  and  various 
other  statutes.  The  volume  comprises  about  500  pages  and  is  com- 
piled for  the  use  of  collectors  and  inspectors  of  customs,  shipping 
commissioners,  the  owners,  masters,  and  agents  of  vessels,  seamen, 
and  others  directly  interested  in  vessels,  their  oflicers,  crews,  passen- 
gers, cargo,  and  navigation. 


BUREAU  OF  STANDARDS. 

The  Constitution  vests  the  Federal  Government  with  power  to  "fix 
the  Standard  of  Weights  and  Measures,"  and  from  the  beginning  of  the 
RepubUc  many  of  the  foremost  statesmen  and  scientists  have  worked 
assiduously  to  bring  our  system  of  weights  and  measures  to  a  more 
satisfactory  and  scientific  condition.  Washington  recognized  this  as 
one  of  the  important  subjects  committed  to  Congress  by  the  Constitu- 
tion, and  repeatedly  urged  the  necessity  for  uniform  and  reliable 
standards.  In  1790  Thomas  Jefferson,  Secretary  of  State,  was 
directed  by  Congress  to  investigate  this  subject,  and  after  a  most 
careful  consideration  submitted  a  report  in  which  he  suggested 
important  reforms,  which  were  not,  however,  adopted. 

A  reference  to  the  subject  of  weights  and  measures  appears  in  the 
act  approved  March  2,  1799  (R,.  S.,  2627),  where  it  was  ordered,  among 
other  things,  that  the  surveyor  of  each  port  of  the  United  States  should 
"from  time  to  time,  and  particularly  on  the  first  Mondays  of  Jan- 
uary and  July  in  each  year,  [examine  and]  try  the  weights,  measures, 
and  other  instruments  used  in  ascertaining  the  duties  on  imports,  with 
standards  to  be  provided  by  each  collector."  Apparently  this  act  was 
not  enforced,  probably  for  the  reason  that  no  standard  had  been 
adopted  by  Congress  or  by  the  Treasury  Department.  In  1817  Pres- 
ident Madison  reminded  Congress  that  nothing  had  been  accomplished 
in  reforming  and  unifying  the  weights  and  measures,  whereupon  the 
whole  subject  was  referred  to  John  Quincy  Adams,  then  Secretary 
of  State.  Mr.  Adams,  after  four  years  of  research,  prepared  a  report 
which  has  become  a  classic  in  metrology ;  in  it  he  advised  t  he  adoption 
of  a  universal  standard  by  international  agreement. 

By  Senate  resolution  of  May  29,  1830,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
was  directed  to  have  an  examination  made  of  the  weights  and  meas- 
ures in  use  at  the  principal  customhouses,  and,  as  was  expected,  large 
discrepancies  were  discovered.  As  a  consequence,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  directed  that  standards  be  adopted  by  the  Treasury 
Department,  and  that  copies  be  made  and  distributed  to  the  various 
customhouses.  The  avoirdupois  pound  was  adopted  as  the  standard 
of  weight,  and  the  distance  between  certain  lines  on  a  brass  bar  in  the 
possession  of  the  Department,  and  supposed  to  conform  to  the 
English  yard,  was  taken  as  the  standard  of  length.  In  June,  1836, 
Congress  directed  further  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  should 
furnish  each  State  with  copies  of  these  standards. 

53 


54  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

By  act  approved  July  28,  1866,  the  use  of  the  metric  system  of 
weights  and  measures  was  legalized,  and  the  Secret  ary  of  the  Treasury 
was  directed  to  furnish  each  State  with  a  set  of  standard  weigt  ts  and 
measures  of  this  system. 

In  1875,  more  than  half  a  century  after  Adams  had  recommended  a 
conference  between  nations  for  the  purpose  of  establishmg  world-wide 
uniformity  in  standards,  such  a  conference  was  held,  and  as  a  rcsidt 
there  was  established  in  Paris  a  permanent  International  Bureau  of 
Weights  and  Measures.  The  bureau  thus  established  undertook  the 
construction  of  prototypes  of  the  metric  standards,  and  in  1889  these 
were  ready  for  distribution  among  the  seventeen  nations  rc])resented 
at  the  international  conference.  Two  meter  prototypes  (stanchirds  of 
length)  and  two  kilogram  prototypes  (standards  of  mass)  were  sent 
under  seal  to  the  United  States  by  special  messengers,  and  were  opened 
at  the  Wliite  House  in  the  ])resence  of  the  President,  the  Secretary  of 
State,  and  a  distinguished  company  of  scholars. 

The  custody  of  the  standards  referred  to  above,  and  the  execution 
of  the  proAT-sions  made  by  Congress,  remained  until  July  1,  1901, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic 
Survey,  Treasury  Department,  in  his  capacity  as  Superintendent  of 
the  Office  of  Standard  Weights  and  iMeasures.  The  facilities  of  the 
latter  office  were  exceedingly  hmited,  and  the  exercise  of  its  functions 
confined  to  departments  of  the  General  Government  and  the  States. 

The  act  of  March  3,  1901,  established  the  National  Bureau  of 
Standards  and  made  it  an  independent  bureau  of  the  Treasury 
Department,  where  it  remained  until,  on  July  1,  1903,  it  became  a 
part  of  the  Department  of  Commerce,  under  the  profusions  of  the 
law  establishing  the  Department.  The  name  "Bureau  of  Stand- 
ards" was  adopted  by  order  of  the  Secretary  on  July  1,  1903. 

Since  1901  the  Bureau  has  grown  as  funds  were  provided  to  enable 
it  to  take  up  more  fully  the  functions  prescribed  in  its  organic  act. 
The  relative  urgency  of  the  several  lines  of  activity  fixed  the  order 
and  extent  of  their  development.  The  scoj^e  of  weights  and  measures 
had  broadened  in  recent  times  to  include  power,  light,  heat,  elec- 
tricity, refrigeration,  and  services  of  other  kinds,  which  nmst  bo 
measured  and  for  which  standards  and  methods  of  measurement  are 
needed.  Not  less  urgent  are  standards  of  quality,  which  rest  u]>on 
the  properties  of  materials,  and  which  for  certain  materials  are  ])ar- 
tially  defined  in  "specifications."  Units  and  stanchirds  are  here 
needed  relating  to  physical  and  chemical  properties  in  addition  to 
those  of  dimension  and  weight.  The  Bureau  aims  to  meet  this  need 
by  the  development  of  standard  materials,  standard  specifications, 
and  standard  methods  of  test  for  the  properties  of  materials. 

Few  subjects  directly  affect  more  people  than  weighing  and  measur- 
ing, since  practically  all  products  involve  measurement,   whether 


BUBEAU    OF   STANDARDS.  55 

grown  ill  the  soil  or  manufactured.  Construction,  commerce,  and 
daily  trade  are  based  upon  measurement.  Measure  and  money  are 
the  two  factors  which  fix  price,  and  measurement  is  the  basis  of 
science  and  technology.  The  Bureau's  functions  touch  closely  all 
who  design  and  make,  buy  and  sell,  transport,  or  utilize  materials, 
energy,  or  other  services  wliich  require  accurate  standards  and  measur- 
ing instruments. 

The  Bureau  has  taken  up  as  fully  as  possible  the  special  functions 
prescribed  by  law,  which  may  be  summarized  as  follows: 

(1)  The  custody  of  the  standards,  which  involves  their  care  and 
preservation  and  the  varied  researches  necessary  to  maintain  their 
constancy. 

(2)  Comparisons  of  standards  for  States,  municipaUties,  institu- 
tions, and  the  general  public,  including  those  used  in  commerce,  manu- 
facturing, and  science,  assuring  to  the  public  accuracy  at  its  source — 
in  the  factory  and  the  industrial  laboratory. 

(3)  The  construction  of  new  standards  demanded  by  scientific  and 
teclinical  progress  on  the  basis  of  the  best  available  data  and  new 
researches  at  the  Bureau,  and  whenever  practicable  by  international 
agreement. 

(4)  Standardization  of  measuring  instruments  for  manufacturers 
as  a  test  of  their  output,  or  for  the  user  that  he  may  verify  instru- 
ments or  materials  independently. 

(5)  Technical  research  on  problems  connected  with  standards — 
research  which  in  many  cases  limits  the  rate  of  progress  in  a  given 
field. 

(6)  The  determination  of  physical  constants  and  the  properties  of 
materials — the  exact  tlata  relating  to  materials  and  energy  wliich 
underlie  technical  and  industrial  work,  and  for  which  direct  reference 
to  the  fundamental  standards  is  highly  desirable. 

(7)  The  determination  of  the  properties  of  materials,  such  work 
being  based  upon  the  modern  view  that  quality  may  be  measured  and 
standardized  exactly  as  dimension  and  weight  may  be,  although  the 
problems  may  be  difficult  and  require  advanced  research. 

The  organization  of  the  Bureau  is  a  practical  groupmg  of  the 
several  classes  of  work — scientific,  clerical,  and  mechanical.  The 
divisions  of  the  scientific  work  are  electricity,  weights  and  measures, 
heat,  light,  and  chemistry.  The  technical  operations  also  inchide 
engineering  instruments  and  the  investigation  of  materials.  The 
clerical  work  comprises  i)ul)lication,  records,  library,  accounts,  cer- 
tificates and  correspondence,  stores,  and  shipping.  The  mechanical 
staff  has  the  operation  of  the  engineering  ])lant,  care  of  buildings 
and  grounds,  construction  in  the  instrument  shop,  cabinet  shop, 
and  the  shop  for  glass  blowing  and  glass  working.  The  Bureau  aims 
to  attain  steady  progress   in  exj)orienco  and  knowledge  among  the 


56  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE. 

employees  in  its  several  lines  by  a  series  of  graded  positions,  and  by 
providing  facilities  and  o])portunities,  such  as  a  technical  library, 
journal  meetings,  and  encouraging  evening  study  to  supj)lement 
their  practical  experience.  This  policy  stimulates  interest  and 
efficiency. 

The  work  of  the  Bureau  has  its  main  sanction  as  the  legal  custodian 
of  the  standards  and  also  on  account  of  the  fundamental  character 
of  the  investigations  undertaken  and  the  ])recision  attained  in  such 
researches.  In  all  of  its  work  the  Bureau  aims  to  cooperate  fully 
and  directly  with  all  interests  concerned,  since  only  in  this  manner 
can  all  ]>oints  of  view  and  sources  of  information  be  regarded. 

Wlien  mternational  standards  are  involved,  the  Bureau  cooperates 
with  the  standardizing  institutions  of  other  countries  and  with  the 
International  Bureau  of  Weights  and  Measures.  The  international 
agreement  as  to  the  precise  value  of  the  candlepower  as  a  unit  of 
light  is  an  example.  While  such  fundamental  standards  are  still 
relatively  few,  the  derived  standards,  such  as  standards  of  light,  color, 
composition,  combustion,  efficiency,  and  other  quantities  which  are 
developed  as  industrial  and  scientific  needs  multiply,  steadily  increase 
m  complexity. 

Sets  of  the  national  standards  have  been  supplied  to  every  State 
of  the  Union,  and  these  are  verified  from  time  to  time  at  the  Bureau 
of  Standards.  These  sets  serve  to  regulate  the  local  measures  used 
by  county  sealers  for  inspection  of  trade  weights  and  measures.  In 
all  of  such  work  the  Bureau  cooperates  with  State  governments  and 
officials  by  holding  annual  conferences,  assisting  in  the  technical 
details  of  the  inspection  service,  and  giving  advice  concerning  new 
legislation. 

The  Bureau  also  cooperates  with  the  national  technical  societies 
m  developing  uniform  standard  nomenclature,  im})roved  specifi- 
cations, more  exact  methods  of  measurement,  and  more  reliable 
and  convenient  forms  of  standarils.  The  manufacture  of  measur- 
mg  appliances  is  now  a  large  grouj)  of  industries,  and  in  testing  the 
standards  used  to  make  measuring  appliances  the  Bureau  is  indi- 
rectly distributing  ]u-ecision  in  all  branches  of  commerce  and  trnde. 
To  the  general  manufacturer  the  Bureau  makes  available  its  facili- 
ties by  standardizing  the  measures  by  which  he  makes  his  product 
and  upon  his  request  the  ])roduct  itself  may  be  tested.  Manufac- 
turers also  refer  technical  problems  to  the  Bureau,  and  wherever 
possible  the  Bureau  aims  to  serve  as  a  clearing  house  for  technical 
information  upon  subjects  within  its  field.  The  large  number  of 
inquiries  by  mail  afford  another  medium  for  giving  information 
upon  these  subjects — data  which  often  may  be  directly  applied  in 
commerce,  manufacturing,  research,  and  daily  trade.  The  need  for 
a  clearing  house  for  such  information  needs  no  emphasis. 


BUREAU   OF   STANDARDS.  57 

Length  measures  in  great  variety — gauges,  bars,  rules,  tapes,  level 
rods — are  standardized  under  known  conditions  of  temperature  and 
manner  of  support.  Researches  are  made  as  to  the  design  and  use 
of  such  instruments,  as  well  as  their  change  with  heat.  All  length 
standards  used  in  manufacturing,  in  engineering — whether  measuring 
lands,  laying  out  buildings  or  other  structures,  or  making  maps  and 
charts — or  in  scientific  work  must  come  directly  or  indirectly  from 
the  Bureau.  Likewise  the  Bureau  is  the  legal  custodian  of  the  stand- 
ards of  mass,  and  all  makers  of  weights  and  balances  and  weighing 
instruments,  from  the  most  delicate  used  by  chemists  and  physicists 
to  the  heaviest  used  in  commerce,  depend  upon  the  Bureau  for  their 
standards. 

Each  year  many  thousand  glass  measures— flasks,  pipettes,  bu- 
rettes, cylinders,  and  other  forms  used  by  chemists  and  others — are 
tested.  Such  tests  are  made  by  determining  accurately  the  volume 
of  distilled  water  contained  or  delivered  by  the  vessel  at  a  certain 
temperature.  Cubic-foot  standards  are  also  verified  for  use  in  test- 
ing gas  and  water  meter  pro  vers.  Likewise  each  year  hydrometers 
in  large  numbers  are  tested,  mainly  for  use  by  the  Internal-Revenue 
Service  to  measure  the  densities  of  liquids  in  order  to  assess  the  proper 
tax.  The  Bureau  is  called  upon  also  to  determine  densities  of  solids, 
liquids,  and  gases  in  special  cases.  These  tests  of  length,  mass,  and 
capacity  are  fundamental,  and  with  time  form  the  basis  of  more  com- 
plex measure  of  energy  and  the  properties  of  materials.  Many  of  the 
tests  requested  require  the  development  of  special  apparatus  and 
methods. 

The  importance  to  science  and  industry  of  correct  standards  and 
uniformity  of  measures  of  length,  mass,  and  capacity  is  apparent,  but 
it  is  equally  important  that  standards  be  provided  for  the  measure  of 
electricity,  heat,  light,  pressure,  power,  and  other  quantities.  More- 
over, the  standards  here  involved  are  far  more  complex.  Their  prep- 
aration and  comparison  involve  measurements  and  research  of  a  high 
order  in  practically  all  branches  of  physics  and  chemistry.  This  work 
includes  standard  measuring  instruments  for  temperatures  ranging 
from  the  lowest  to  the  highest  attainable;  the  establishing  of  the 
standard  temperature  scale,  and  the  determination  of  standard  heat- 
ing values  of  combustibles;  and  testing  <)f  pyrometers  for  measuring 
the  high  temperatures  used  in  the  steel,  glass,  pottery,  and  other 
industries.  The  standards  and  instruments  of  the  electrical  indus- 
tries are  no  less  important  or  varied  in  their  nature.  They  involve 
as  fundamental  units  those  of  electrical  resistance  and  electromotive 
force,  as  well  as  those  of  capacity,  inductance,  and  magnetic  quanti- 
ties. The  Bureau  maintains  also  a  laboratory  for  preparing  and  test- 
ing standards  of  illumination  used  in  the  manufacture  of  electric 
lamps  or  the  testing  of  gas,  oil,  and  other  illuminants.     The  optical 


58  DEPARTMENT  OF  COMMERCE. 

work  of  the  Bureau  also  requires  its  special  units  and  standards,  for 
the  special  optical  problems  involved,  the  tests  of  optical  materials 
and  instruments,  and  the  determination  of  optical  constants  of  indus- 
trial and  scientific  importance. 

Standards  for  manufacturers  are  not  constructed  at  the  Bureau  of 
Standards  except  in  rare  cases,  although  the  Bureau  has  designed 
standard  weights  and  prepared  specifications  for  the  several  grades. 
In  general,  standards  are  purcliased  from  the  makers  of  standard 
measures  and  sent  to  the  Bureau  from  time  to  time  for  comparison 
with  the  Government  standards  and  certification  of  errors.  The  de- 
gree of  precision  with  which  they  are  compared  is  planned  to  meet 
the  exact  needs — to  avoid  at  once  needless  overprecision  f or  the  usual 
cases  and  also  to  insure  the  adequate  high  precision  where  that  is 
required  for  more  fundamental  or  exacting  work.  The  nice  adjust- 
ment of  tlxe  degree  of  precision  to  the  specific  case  in  hand  requires 
the  experience  and  judgment  of  the  specialist. 

The  testing  of  water,  gas,  and  electric  meters  practically  concerns 
all  who  utilize  such  services.  These  services  should,  of  course,  be  as 
accurately  measured  as  are  the  ordinary  articles  of  trade,  and  yet 
proper  provision  is  often  wanting  for  impartial  tests  of  the  accuracy 
of  such  meters.  While  the  pubhc  may  suffer  loss  tlu-ough  faulty 
meters  for  which  proper  testing  faciUties  are  inaccessible,  yet  sus- 
picion may  exist  %vithout  cause,  and  in  such  cases  it  is  equally  impor- 
tant that  the  accuracy  should  be  authoritatively  attested.  Most  of 
this  wca"k  is  for  manufacturing  or  central-station  plants  or  for  munici- 
palities. 

The  work  of  testing  materials  is  another  important  branch  of  the 
Bureau's  functions.  Public  safety  rests  upon  the  certainty  that  the 
materials  used  for  buildings,  bridges,  railroads,  and  other  structures 
are  of  sufficient  strength  and  stability.  The  time  has  passed  when 
the  strength  of  materials  can  be  taken  for  granted.  Willi  the  rajiid 
increase  in  the  height  of  buildings,  length  of  spans  of  bridges,  and 
speed  of  transportation  new  problems  in  safety  and  e(ficiency  arise, 
which  should  not  be  left  to  guesswork  or  even  personal  judgment. 
Positive  tests  by  assured  methods  alone  can  guarantee  that,  to  begin 
with,  the  materials  are  pro})erly  selected  for  the  work.  B}"  means  of 
strain  gauges  and  other  means,  the  finished  structure  may  be  studied 
under  service  conditions.  Experience  is  the  ultimate  test,  but  until 
the  knowledge  of  materials  is  sufficiently  complete  the  best  sub- 
stitute when  judgment  must  be  formed  in  advance  is  based  on  the 
laboratory  test.  The  Bureau  cooperates  with  other  agencies  in  plac- 
ing the  testing  of  materials  upon  a  scientific  basis  as  fully  as  possible. 

The  growing  appreciation  of  the  vast  waste  due  to  defective  mate- 
rials and  then"  misuse  has  raised  the  whole  question  of  efficiency. 
Adequate  testing  or  measurement  is  the  keynote  to  the  solution  of 


BUREAU   OF   STANDARDS.  59 

the  central  problem.  The  testing  of  Government  supplies  is  an 
illustration.  In  this  work  the  various  branches  of  the  Government 
are  cooperating  with  the  Bureau  and  the  purchasing  officers  in 
amending  the  faulty  definitions,  varying  practices,  and  imperfect 
specifications,  and  providing  suitable  working  standards  of  quality 
and  methods  of  testing.  The  development  of  specifications  has 
been  made  the  subject  of  special  conferences  at  the  Bureau,  attended 
by  Government  experts,  manufacturers,  and  users,  and  the  results 
obtained  in  the  case  of  electric  lamps,  Portland  cement,  paper,  and 
other  materials  show  the  value  of  such  work.  Among  the  more 
important  groups  of  materials  tested  are  metals  and  metal  products, 
ceramics,  cement  and  concrete,  lime,  stone,  wood,  bituminous  mate- 
rials, paint  materials,  inks,  paper,  textUes,  rubber,  leather,  adhesives, 
and  a  large  range  of  miscellaneous  manufactured  products. 

The  Bureau  of  Standards  is  located  in  tlio  northwest  section  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  at  an  elevation  of  350  feet  above  the  Potomac 
River,  on  a  natural  hill  site  of  about  16  acres — a  location  admirably 
suited  to  its  work,  being  practically  free  from  mechanical  and  elec- 
trical disturbances.  It  occupies  a  group  of  five  buildings,  each  of  which 
was  designed  especially  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  used.  In 
addition,  it  maintains  laboratories  in  Pittsburgh  and  Northampton, 
Pa.,  and  Charleston,  S.  C. 

Besides  an  extensive  modern  equipment  of  scientific  instruments 
and  apparatus  for  experimental  and  testmg  work,  the  Bureau's  facil- 
ities are  in  many  respects  unique,  since  the  range  of  work  is  so  varied. 
In  the  heat  division  temperature  ranges  are  available  from  that  of 
liquid  air  to  the  heat  of  a  vacuum  electric  furnace ;  in  electrical  work 
wide  ranges  of  current  are  available;  in  chemical  work  the  usual  facil- 
ities are  supplemented  by  many  special  services.  For  the  experi- 
mental work  electrical  power,  refrigeration,  steam,  gas,  compressed 
air,  vacuum,  Uquid  au",  freezing  brine,  time  service  for  precision  pur- 
poses, and  many  other  facilities  are  available. 

The  Bureau  is  provided  with  a  technical  library  of  more  than 
10,000  volumes,  chiefly  on  physics,  chemistry,  and  technology,  and 
regularly  receives  about  300  journals  relating  to  subjects  in  its  field 
of  work.  The  Bm'eau  has  issued  more  than  250  publications  giving 
the  results  of  its  scientific  work  and  describing  the  various  lines  of 
testing  now  going  on.     These  are  available  for  public  distribution. 


STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION  SERVICE. 

The  act  of  Congress  approved  July  7,  1838,  which  pro^dded  for 
hfcboats,  signal  lights,  fire  pumps  and  hose,  and  the  inspection  of 
the  hulls  and  boilers  of  steam  vessels,  was  the  first  legislation  on 
the  important  question  of  "the  better  security  of  lives  of  passengers 
on  board  of  vessels  propelled  in  whole  or  in  part  hj  steam."  This 
act  was  modified  by  the  acts  of  March  3,  1843,  and  March  3,  1849, 
the  latter  of  which  provided  for  signal  lights  on  all  vessels. 

The  act  of  Congress  approved  August  30,  1852,  known  as  the 
steamboat  act,  however,  was  really  the  establishment  of  the  present 
Steamboat-Inspection  Service,  and  since  that  date  the  work  has  been 
prosecuted,  with  but  few  innovations,  on  the  plans  then  adopted. 
Prior  to  July  1,  1903,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  was  charged 
with  the  general  supervision  of  the  Service,  but  on  that  date  this 
supervision  was  transferred  to  the  head  of  what  is  now  the  Depart- 
ment of  Commerce  by  act  of  Congress  approved  February  14,  1903 
(the  organic  act  of  the  Department). 

At  the  present  time  the  Steamboat-Inspection  Service  is  charged 
with  the  duty  of  inspecting  the  hulls  and  machinery  of  steam  vessels 
and  with  the  administration  of  the  laws  requiring  passenger  vessels 
to  be  equipped  with  boats,  rafts,  water-tight  bulkheads,  signal  fights, 
life-savmg  appliances,  and  fire-fighting  apparatus.  It  is  charged  also 
with  the  duty  of  determining  the  number  of  passengers  a  vessel  can 
carry  with  prudence  and  safety,  the  number  of  officers  necessary  for 
the  safe  navigation  of  vessels,  and  the  licensing  of  such  officers.  It 
prescribes  pilot  rules  to  be  observed  by  vessels  navigating  the  waters 
of  the  United  States,  and  conducts  investigations  and  trials  for  viola- 
tions of  the  steamboat-inspection  laws  and  the  rules  and  regulations 
issued  in  furtherance  thereof. 

For  the  purpose  of  administering  the  ])ilot  rules  the  waters  of  the 
United  States  are  divided  into  three  parts,  and  separate  rules  are 
made  for, each.  These  three  divisions  are  (1)  Atlantic  and  Pacific 
coast  inland  waters,  (2)  the  Great  Lakes  and  their  connecting  and 
tributary  waters  as  far  east  as  Montreal,  (3)  rivers  whose  waters 
flow  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  their  tributaries,  and  the  Red 
River  x)f  the  North. 

The  jurisdiction  of  the  Service  extends  to  all  steam  vessels  navi- 
gating any  waters  of  the  United  States  which  are  common  liigliways 
of  commerce  or  open  to  general  or  competitive  navigation,  except 
vessels  owned  b}^  the  United  States  or  other  governments  and  boats 
60 


STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION   SERVICE.  61 

propelled  in  whole  or  in  part  by  steam  for  navigating  canals.  It  has 
jurisdiction  also  over  coastwise  seagoing  vessels  and  vessels  navigating 
the  Great  Lakes,  when  navigating  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United 
States,  as  well  as  over  all  foreign  private  steam  vessels  carrying  passen- 
gers from  any  port  of  the  United  States  to  any  other  place  and 
country. 

At  the  head  of  the  Service  is  the  Supervising  Inspector  General, 
located  at  Washington,  whose  duty  it  is,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Secretary  of  Commerce,  to  superintend  the  administration  of  the 
steamboat-inspection  laws;  preside  at  the  meetings  of  the  Board  of 
Supervising  Inspectors;  receive  all  reports  and  accounts  of  inspectors; 
examine,  on  application  of  the  officer  whose  license  is  in  question, 
any  case  involving  the  revocation  or  suspension  of  license;  report 
fully  at  stated  periods  to  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  on  all  matters 
pertaming  to  his  official  duties,  and  produce  a  correct  and  uniform 
administration  of  the  inspection  laws,  rules,  and  regulations.  The 
Supervising  Inspector  General  is  responsible  for  the  general  effective- 
ness, usefulness,  and  capacity  of  the  Service,  and  for  the  intelligent 
du'ection  and  management  of  its  affairs. 

The  United  States  and  all  its  territorial  possessions,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Philippine  Islands,  is  divided  into  10  supervising 
mspection  districts,  each  of  which  is  presided  over  by  a  supervising 
inspector  of  steam  vessels,  and  these  districts,  in  turn,  are  divided 
into  local  districts  in  charge  of  boards  of  local  inspectors,  consisting  of 
a  local  inspector  of  hulls  and  a  local  mspector  of  boUers.  Wherever 
necessary,  assistant  inspectors  of  hulls  and  boilers  are  appointed  to 
assist  the  local  inspectors  in  the  inspection  of  vessels,  and  to  each 
board  at  least  one  clerk  is  assigned  to  perform  necessary  clerical  work. 

The  supervising  inspectors,  in  charge  of  the  various  supervising 
inspection  districts,  are  selected  for  their  knowledge  and  practical 
experience  in  the  uses  of  steam  for  navigation  and  are  responsible 
for  the  general  condition  and  efficiency  of  the  Service  throughout 
their  respective  districts.  It  is  their  duty  to  watch  over  all  parts 
of  the  territory  assigned  to  them;  instruct  local  boards  of  inspec- 
tors in  the  proper  performance  of  their  duties;  examine,  whenever 
they  think  it  expedient,  into  the  condition  of  any  licensed  vessel 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  whether  the  laws  have  been  ob- 
served both  by  the  inspectors  and  the  masters  and  owners;  and 
report  to  the  Secretary  any  failure  of  a  board  to  do  its  duty.  They 
are  also  obliged  to  visit  any  district  in  which  there  is  at  any  time  no 
board  of  inspectors  and  within  which  steam  vessels  are  owned  and 
employed,  and  to  perform  in  such  district  all  the  duties  imposed 
on  local  boards.  They  hear  and  decide  all  cases  in  which  any  person, 
master,  or  owner  deems  himself  wronged  by  the  decision  of  the  local 
inspectors,  and  investigate  and  decide  all  cases,  when  requested  to 


62  DEPARTMENT    OF   COMMERCE. 

do  SO,  where  disagreements  have  arisen  between  the  local  inspectors. 
At  the  end  of  each  year  they  submit  reports  to  the  Supervising  Inspec- 
tor General  covering  the  general  business  transacted  during  the  year, 
together  with  all  violations  of  laws  and  the  action  taken  in  relation 
thereto. 

On  the  third  Wednesday  of  January,  in  each  year,  and  at  such 
other  times  as  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  may  prescribe,  the  super- 
vising inspectors  and  the  Supervising  Inspector  General  assemble  at 
Washington  as  a  Board  of  Supervising  Inspectors  for  the  purpose  of 
joint  consultation,  the  assignment  of  territory,  the  approval  of  instru- 
ments and  equipment  required  to  be  used  on  steam  vessels  for  the 
better  security  of  life,  and  the  formulation  of  regulations  necessary 
to  carry  out  in  the  most  effectiv^e  manner  the  provisions  of  the 
steamboat-inspection  laws,  which  regulations,  when  approved  by  the 
Secretary  of  Commerce,  have  the  force  of  law.  The  Secretary,  how- 
ever, is  authorized  to  call  in  session,  at  any  time,  after  reasonable 
])ublic  notice,  a  meeting  of  an  executive  committee,  composed  of  the 
Supervising  Inspector  General  and  two  supervising  inspectors,  which 
committee,  with  the  approval  of  the  Secretary,  may  change  or  repeal 
any  of  the  rules  or  regulations  made  by  the  Board  of  Supervising 
Inspectors,  such  changes  to  have  the  force  of  law  and  continue  in 
effect  until  30  days  aft^  the  adjournment  of  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Board  of  Supervising  Inspectors.  The  executive  committee  may 
also  approve  instruments,  machines,  and  equipment  required  to  be 
used  on  steam  vessels  for  the  better  SiCcurity  of  life. 

Each  of  the  local  districts  into  which  the  various  super-sdsmg  inspec- 
tion districts  are  divided  is  presided  over  by  aboard  of  local  inspectors, 
consistmg  of  a  local  Inspector  of  hulls  and  a  local  inspector  of  boilers. 
It  is  the  duty  of  this  board  to  mspect,  at  least  once  a  year,  each  steam 
vessel  within  its  district,  and  to  certificate  or  disapprove  the  same, 
and  to  examine  all  steamers  arriving  and  departing  to  and  from  the 
ports  in  its  district,  and  order  the  master  or  owner  to  make  necessary 
repairs  or  correct  unlawful  conditions.  It  is  also  incumbent  on  the 
board  to  examine  all  persons  applying  for  officers'  licenses,  to  license 
for  five  years  each  of  them  who  can  be  safely  intrusted  with  the  duties 
and  responsibilities  of  the  station  for  which  application  is  made,  to 
investigate  all  acts  of  incompetency  or  misconduct  committed  by 
licensed  officers  while  acting  under  the  authority  of  their  licenses,  and 
when  necessary  to  suspend  or  revoke  the  licenses  of  such  officers.  It 
is  required  to  keep  a  record  of  all  licenses  granted  to  masters,  mates, 
pilots,  and  engineers,  as  well  as  its  decisions  in  cases  where  licenses 
have  been  refused,  suspended,  or  revoked,  and  to  transmit  to  the 
supervising  inspector  of  its  district  all  testimony  received  by  it  in 
such  proceedings.  It  is  also  required  to  keep  a  record  of  certificates 
issued  to  vessels  and  of  every  steamer  boarded  during  the  year,  which 


STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION    SEKVICE.  63 

information,  together  with  an  account  of  all  other  official  acts,  is  com- 
municated to  the  supervising  inspector  in  the  form  of  a  report  at  such 
times  as  may  be  directed. 

Assistant  inspectors  perform  such  duties  of  actual  inspection  as 
may  be  assigned  to  them  under  the  direction,  supervision,  and  control 
of  the  local  inspectors,  and  may  be  detailed  by  the  Supervismg  Inspec- 
tor General,  under  the  dii'ection  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce,  to 
inspect,  at  the  mills  where  the  same  are  manufactured,  iron  and  steel 
plates  to  be  used  in  the  construction  of  marine  boilers,  which  plates, 
when  properly  stamped,  are  accepted  by  local  inspectors  as  bemg  in 
full  compliance  with  the  law. 

Whenever  any  local  inspector  or  supervising  inspector  ascertains 
that  any  vessel  subject  to  the  provisions  of  the  steamboat-inspection 
laws  is  being  operated  or  navigated  without  complying  with  the  pro- 
visions of  such  laws,  the  certificate  of  inspection  issued  to  such 
vessel  is  immediately  revoked,  and  no  new  certificate  is  issued  until 
the  law  has  been  fully  complied  with.  Any  vessel  operating  or  navi- 
gating, or  attempting  to  operate  or  navigate,  after  the  revocation  of 
her  certificate  of  inspection  and  before  the  issuance  of  a  new  certifi- 
cate is  subject  to  a  fine,  and  may  by  proper  order  or  action  of  any 
district  court  of  the  United  States  having  jurisdiction  be  seized 
summarily  by  way  of  libel  and  held  without  privilege  of  release  by 
bail  or  bond  until  a  proper  certificate  of  inspection  shall  have  been 
issued  to  said  vessel.  Any  master  or  owner  of  any  vessel  whose 
certificate  shall  have  been  revoked  may,  however,  appeal  to  the 
Secretary  of  Commerce  for  a  reexamination  of  the  case,  and  upon 
such  appeal  the  Secretary  has  power  to  revise  or  set  aside  the  action 
of  the  local  or  supervising  inspector  and  to  direct  the  issuance  of  a 
certificate  of  inspection.  The  judicial  process  brought  against  the 
vessel  shall  thereupon  be  of  no  further  force  or  effect,  and  the  vessel 
shall  be  released. 

In  addition  to  the  annual  report  of  the  Supervising  Inspector 
General  and  the  list  of  officers  licensed  each  year,  the  Service  issues 
and  distributes  frequent  editions  of  pilot  rules  for  each  of  the  tlu-ee 
divisions  into  which  the  waters  of  the  United  States  are  divided,  laws 
governing  the  Service,  and  general  rules  and  regulations  prescribed 
by  the  Board  of  Supervising  Inspectors. 


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